•  h 


DUKE 

UNIVERSITY 

LIBRARY 


Treasure  %oom         ^^^ 


d 


0>»v^. 


A  ft 

HlBorical   Dtfcourfi 

O  N    Ttt  £ 

Civil  and  Religious  Affairs 

of  the  CoLONt    of 

RHODE-ISLAND 

AND 

Providence  Plantations 

N  E  W  -  E  N  G  L  A  N  D 
in  America, 

From  the  f5fft  Settlement  1638,  to  the  End   of 
fii ft  CENTURY. 

By]OHNCALLENDER,A'M' 

JoHiiia  xxii.  22.  ^he  LORt)  God  of  Gods,  the  LORD  God  of 
Gods,  he  kmiveth,  and  Ijrapljh^^ll  kmw^  tf  it  be  in  RehtlUoriy  of 
if  ifi  TrdnfgteJJton  agair.Jl  the  Lovd. 

Pfal  cxiv.  4.  One.  G?TJer,ttwn  Jhall  praife  thy  Name  to  afiother, 
andjhall  declare  thy  niipljy  JHs. 

■ '      •  '  '  * 

B    O    S    r    O    N: 

Printed   and  Sold  by  S.  Knf£land  ^nd  T.  GreeH 
in  Queen^Screer.    MDCCXXXIX. 


x     ■  r» 


( '  1. '  1. 


To  the  Honourable 

WiUiam  Coddington,  Efq-, 


SIR,' 

T  is  not  barely  to 
give  youapublick 
Teftimony  of  my 
Gratitude  for  ma- 
ny perfonal  Favours,  nor 
,  yet  of  that  Efteem  and  Re- 
fpe£t  which  all  Men  bear 
you,  for  your  lingular  Equi- 
ty and  Benevolence,  not  on- 
A  2  ly 


2    T>EVJCJTION, 

ly  in  private  Life,  but  in  all 
the  various  Offices,  in  which 
you  have  ferved  and  adorned 
your  Country ;  that  1  prefix 
your  Name  to  theie  Papers : 
ButbecaufeanAttempt  to  re- 
cover feme  Account  of  this 
happy Ifland.and  to  makea  re- 
ligious Improvement  of  the 
merciful  Providences  of  God 
towards  it, is  jnftly  due  to  the 
lineal  Reprefentative  of  that 
v^orthy  Gentleman,  who  was 
the  great  Inftrument  of  it's 
©f  iginaj  Settlement? 

•jS  Your  honoured  Grandfa- 
ther Wiil'i^m  CoddtngtQn^  Efq; 

'ras  ehpfen  ia  En^hvnl  to  be 

m 


an  Affiilnvt  of  the  Colony  o£ 

the    Maffachufetts-'Bay,     A.   'D. 

1629,  and  in  i^:;o  came  o- 
ver  to  IS! evo- England  "^kh  the 
Governour  and  the  Charter, 
&c.  after  which  he  was  feve- 
ral  Times  rechofen  to  that 
honourable  and  important 
Office.  He  was  for  fome 
Time  Treafurer  of  the  Colo- 
ny. He  was  with  the  Chief- 
eft  in  all  publick  Charges, 
*and  a  principal  Merchant 
in  Boflon ',  where  he  built 
the  firft  Brick  Houfe. 

In  the  Year  1(^37,  when  the 
Contentions  ran  fo  high  in 
the  Country,  he  va-<  grieved 

at 


4      T>ET>ICJTI0K 

at  the  Proceedings  of  the 
Court,  againft  Mr.  Wheel- 
wright  and  Others.  And 
when  he  found  that  his  Op- 
pofitions  to  thofe  Meafures 
was  ineffedual,  he  entred  his 
Proteft,  'that  his  Diffent 
might  appear  to  fucceeding 
Times ';  and  though  he  was 
in  the  faireft  Way  to  be 
Great,  in  the  Majfachujetts  as 
to  outward  Things,  yet  he 
voluntarily  quitted  his  Ad- 
vantageousSituation  at'BoHon, 
his  largePropriety  and  Im- 
provements at  'Braintree,  for 
Peace  lake,  and  that  he  might 
befriend,  prote<St,  and  aflift 
the  pious  People,  who  were 

medi- 


T>E'DICATI0N.     $ 

meditating  a  Removal  from 
that  Colony,  on  account  of 
their  religious  Differences. 

Here  when  the  People 
firft  incorporated  them- 
felves  a  Body  politick  on  this 
Ifland,  they  chofe  him  to  be 
their  Judge  or  chief  Ruler, 
and  continued  to  ele<5t  him 
annually  to  be  their  Gover- 
nour  for  feven  Years  toge- 
ther, 'till  the  Patent  took 
Place,  and  the  Ifland  was  in- 
corporated with  TrovUence- 
Plantations, 

In  the  Year  11^47,  he  af- 
fifted  in  forming  the  B^dy 

of 


^     ^ET)ICJTIOK 

of  Laws,  which  has  been  the 
Balis  of  our  Conftitution 
andGovernment  ever  fince  ■, 
and  the  next  Year  being 
chofcn  Governour  of  the 
Colony,  decHned  the  Of- 
fice. 

In  i<^5i,  he  had  a  Com- 
miflion  from  the  fupream 
Authority  then  in  England^ 
to  be  Governour  of  the  If- 
land,  purfuant  to  a  Power 
rcferved  in  the  Tatent :  But 
the  People  being  jealous 
*  the  Commillion  might  af- 
fect their  Lands  and  Liber- 
ties as  leemed  to  them  by 
the  Patent',  he  readily  laid 

ic 


T>ET>JCAT10N.      7 

it  down  on  the  firft  Notice 
from  England  that  he  might 
do  fo  i  &  for  their  further  Sa- 
tisfaiSion  and  Contentment, 
he,  by  a  Writing  under  his 
Hand,  obh'ged  himfelf  to 
make  a  formal  Surrender  of 
all  Right  and  Title  to  any  of 
theLands,  more  than  his  Pro- 
portion in  common  with  the 
other  Inhabitants,  whenever 
it  Ihould  be  demanded. 

After  thathefeemstohave 
retired  much  from  publick 
Bufinefs,  till  toward  the  latter 
End  of  his  Days,  when  he  was 
again  divers  Ijmes  prevailed 
with  to  take  theGovernment 
upon  him;  as  he  did  particu- 
B  larly 


8     'DEVICjriON, 

larly  T^ySjwhenhedied  Nov. 
I. in  the78//:>Yearof  hisAge,^ 
good  A  la  n  full  of  Day  s.  Thus 
after  he  had  the  Honour  to  be 
thefirllludgeandGovernour 
of  this  Ifland,  *  after  he  had 
fpent  much  of  his  Eftate  and 
thePrime  ofhisLifein  propa- 
gating Plantations',  he  died 
Governour  of  the  Colony— 
in  promoting  the  Welfare 
and  the  Profperity  of  the  lit- 
tle Common- VV^ealth,  which 
he  had  in  a  manner  founded. 

If  there  was  any  Oppofition 
at  any  Time  to  any  of  his  Mea- 
fures,  or  if  he  met  with  any  in" 
grateful  Returns  from  any  he 
had  fei  ved,  it  was  no  more 

thai 


T>ET>1CJTI0K      9 

than  what  feveral  of  the  other 
firft  excellent  Governours 
of  the  othtrNew- Engl'tfi  Co- 
lonies  met  withirom  a  People 
made  froward  by  theCircum- 
ftances  of  a  Wildernels,  and 
over  jealous  of  their  Privi- 
ledges.  A  free  People  will 
always  be  jealous  of  their 
Priviledges,  and  Hiftory  a- 
bounds  withExamplesof  the 
Miftakes  and  Ingratitude  oc- 
calioned  by  that  Jealoufy. 

If  the  followingDifcourfe 
has  done  any  Juftice  to  the 
Memory  and  Charadler  of 
the  pious  People  who  firffc 
fetled  thisColony,  orif  ithas 
any  Tendency  to  promote 

the 


lo   VETUCJTIOK 

the  true  originalFnds  of  this 
Plantation,  1  am  fure  of  your 
Patronage.  And  as  to  what 
relates  to  fome  Articles,  dif- 
ferent from  your  Judgment 
andPradlice  in  religious  Mat- 
ters, theGenerofity  and  Can- 
dour you  inherit  from  your 
great  Anceftors  will  eafily 
bear  with  me,  endeavouring 
to  vindicate  my  own  Opini- 
ons on  fuch  an  Occalion. 

I  hope  there  are  few  or  no 
Errors  in  theMatters  of  Fa(Sfc 
related,  or  the  Dates  that 
are  affigned  j  to  prevent  any 
Miftakes,!  have  carefully  re- 
viewed the  publickRecords, 
and  my  other  Materials ;  this 

Review 


Review  has  bro't  to  my  Know- 
ledge orRemembrance  many 
Things,  that  were  not  menti- 
oned in  the  Pulpit,  which 
however  it  feemed  ought  not 
to  be  omitted. 

I  defigned  to  have  put  all 
the  Additions  and  Enlarge- 
ments, in  the  Form  of  Notes 
for  my  own  tafe,  but  have 
beenperfwaded  to  weave  as 
many  of  them  as  were  pro- 
per into  the  Body  of  the 
Difcourfe,  as  what  is  general- 
ly moft  plealing  to  the  Rea- 
der. 1  am  very  fenfible,  ie- 
veral  Things  will  be  thottoo 
minute  or  perfcnal  by  Stran- 
gers, but  the  Defcendents  of 
B  2  the 


12     'DEVICMION. 

tlie  Perfons  concerned,  and 
thelnhabitants  of  theColony, 
wiJlfadily  pardon  me.  And 
feme  other  Things  which  are 
familiarly  known  among  our 
felves,  will  be  necellary  to 
Others. 

It  is  much  to  be  lamented 
that  many  valuable  Manu" 
fcripts  of  fome  of  the  firftSet- 
iers  here,  are  fo  foon  embez- 
led  and  loft-  And  it  is  much 
to  be'wiihed,  that  fomeGen- 
tlemen  of  Ingenuity  andLei' 
fare,  would  take  Pains  to  col- 
ledlasmany  ofthefe  oldPapers 
as  can  be  found  difperfed  a- 
bout.  I  am  apt  to  think, 
that  thefe,  with  the  pobhck 

Records, 


VESICATION,     15 

Records,  would  furnifli  Ma- 
terials for  zjnB:  Hiftory  of 
the  Colony, 

What  is  here  prefented  to 
your  View,  will  by  noMeans 
fuperfede  fuch  a  Defign  ;  I 
rather  hope  it  will  ftimulate 
Gentlemen  in  every  Part  of 
theColony,  to  make  a  Search 
after  luch  Papers,  and  more 
efpecially  now,\\h\\^  theA7(?]i^- 

Engl and  Chronology  is  in  Hand, 
compoiing  by  a  Gentleman^ 
above  all  Exceptions  univer- 
fally  acknowledged  the  beil 
verledin  the  Hiftory  of  the 
Country,  and  the  moft  ca- 
pable to  give  the  World  a 
juil  and  clear  Idea  of  all  our 

civil 


14    T>ET>ICAT10K 

civil  and  religousAfFairsand 
who  is  already  fo  well  fur- 
hifhed  with  Materials  from 
every  other  Part  of  theCoun- 
try. 

That  the  moft  High 
would  be  pleafed  to  blels 
5  ou  with  all  the  Bleffings  of 
Grace  and  Providence,  to- 
gether with  your  pious  Lady 
and  numerous  OiFspring,  is 
the  Prayer  of 

Tour  Honours 
moft  olliged 
Toutnlh  Servant, 

^etifnyt  on  Rbode- Jjland, 
05lo.  17th  1758. 

John  Callender. 


Ct) 


"S 


An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe,&c. 


P  S  A  L.     LXXVII.  10,  II,  12. 

/  will  rememlper  the  Tears  of  the  right  Hand  of  the 
moft  High.  1  will  remember  the  IVork  of  the 
LORD^  farely  I  will  remember  thy  IVonders  of 
cld^  I  will  meditate  alfo  of  all  thy  iVork^  and 
talk  of  thy  Doings. 

!i;S'^^'^§>^^^i?  ^^^^5  ""C6  ^^^  Lands  within 
i0J;?^/-||^  the  prelum  Patent,  or  Char- 
ter of  this  Colony,  began  to 

llSsSl^  ^'  f«"«^   by   Englifli  Men, 
gfC^JJ  and  inhabited   by   Chriftians 
our  Anceflors;    and    as  this 
Day  is  juft  an    Hundred  Tears   fince   the   Indiaa 
-Sachems  *  Miantonomy  and  the  ancient  Cancnicus 


>^^ 


*  The  Name  of  this  ^achemh  ufuaHy  fpeltin  the  -printed Bocks j^ 
Miantonimoky  bac  in  all  ihtManufcyiptiy  .MyantonomSy  or  Aiiari' 
tcnome^  or  Miantonomu y  and  the  Name  is  <••  profjounced  hy 
the  People  who  rake  the  ^^rW  by  Tradi'ion,  and  nor  from 
the  Books,  with  the  Accent  on  the  la*}.  S-, '  -^ble  but  one 

C  hi$ 


2  An  Hijlomal  Lifcuurfe^  &c. 

his  Uncle  and  Guardian,  figned  the  Grant  of 
thislfland, /tf  Mr.  Coddington  and  his  Friends 
united  with  him ,  and  as  Mr.  JobnClark  theFoun- 
der  under  GOD,  and  the  Jirjl  Elder  of  this  Churchy 
and  W$  liberal  BenefaElor^  was  a  principal  Inilru- 
iTient,  in  negotiating  the  Purchafe,  and  Settle- 
ment of  the  Ifland,  as  he  was  likewife  afterward, 
in  obtaining  and  maintaining  the  old  Patent,  and 
procuring  the  prefent  Charter ;  I  tho'c  it  would 
be  but  proper,  to  defer  our  Ledure,  which  in 
Courfe  fell  out  on  Yefterday,  to  this  Time  ;  and 
now,  I  propofe  to  lay  before  you,  fuch  an  Ac- 
count as  I  have  been  able  to  colledl,  of  the  Oc- 
cafijn  and  the  Manner  of  our  firfi  Settlement,  to- 
gether with  a  Jhort  View,  of  the  civil  and  religious 
Hiftory,  and  the  prefent  State  of  the  C>lony.  And 
then  to  entertain  you,  with  fuch  Refledions,  as 
the  Subjedt  will  fugged,  and  fuch  Remarks,  as 
jmayferve  to  difpofe,  and  aflilt  us,  to  a  religious 
Improvement  of  thofe  memorable  Occurrences. 

I  confefs  the  Account  I  have  been  able  to  col- 
lect, is  very  lame  and  imperfcd:,  and  for  that 
Reafon,  I  fhould  have  laid  afide  the  Defign,  if] 
1  had  not  thought  it,  in  Reality  a  Duty,  to  re-  i 
colledt  and  review  {o  much  as  we  can,  of  the  I 
merciful  Providence  of  GOD,  in  the  fettling  andi 
preferving  this  Colony  j  and  that  we  ought  to  re- 
member  tbs  Tsars  of  the  Right  Hand  cf  the  moft 

H^ghl 


An  Hifiorical  Li/courfe^  &c.  3 

High^  the  IVorks  of  the  Lord^  and  the  IVonders  of 
old^  to  7neditate  of  bis  If  or  k^  and  talk  of  tfs  Divings, 

And  here  in  order  to  lay  before  you  feme 
Account  rf  the  Occafin  and  Manner  cf  cur  firft^ 
Settlement  J  and  the  Condudl  of  divine  Providence 
towards  us  ever  fince  ^  it  may  be  proper^  previ- 
oufly  to  mention,  a  few  Things  relating  to  the 
Scttlet/ient  ^/New-England  //;  general. 

And  that  we  may  take  Things  from  the  Be- 
ginning, be  pleafed  to  obferve  that  05ioher  12. 
1492,  *  this  Part  of  the  World  fince  called  A' 
mertca^  before  that  wholly  unknown  to  the  reH, 
was  firft  difcovered  by  Chr'tftapher  Columbus^  a 
Qenoefe^  in  the  Service  of  the  King  of  Spain.  The 
Vope  loon  after,  generoufly  bellowed  the  neisj 
IVorld^  on  the  Spaniards^  they  made  vn^ny  fuC" 
ce/sful  Voyages^  and  many  great  C>nquejls  and 
Settlements  in  the  fouthern  Parts  of  the  new  found 
World.     Their  Succefs,  and  the  immenfe  Riches, 


*  Where  federal  Writers,  give  the  fame  Account,  'ds  need- 
lefsro  quote  any  one  in  parricular,  as  'tis  alio,  where  the 
Accounr,  is  taken  from  a  Comparifon  of  many  Authors, 
vich  one  anorher.  However,  I  have  followed  the  Dates  in 
the  }\ew  Er.glar.d  Chrenclogyy  where  the  moft  material  Fadts 
are  colie(^?d,  and  placed  in  the  trueil  Light,  and  rhe 
Dues  fixed  with  rhe  greateft  Accurscv,  and  Ex^fincfs.' 
The  R«adcr  will  obferve  many  Expreflionj  marked  '*  *', 
thefe  are  rhe  very  Words,  of  the  Authoiiiics  I  folJov^',  and 
which  I  chufe  to  make  ufe  ot  as  ofcen  ai  conveniemly 
miglit  be. 

C  a  they 


4  An  Hiftorical  Difcotirfe^  &c. 

they  carried  home  to  Europe^  did  in  Procefs  of 
Time,  excite  other  Nations,  to  put  in  for  a  Share 
with  them.  Among  the  relt  the  EtigUjJj  (  who 
had  narrowly  mill  the  Advantages  of  the  firfi 
JDifcovery  )  befides  their  Enterprizes  on  the  Spa^ 
niards^  made  many  fuccefsfive  Attempts,  to  dif- 
cover  and  fettle  in  North- America, 

In  1578  or  1579,  there  was  a  Patent  granted 
by  Queen  Elizabeth  for  fix  Years  to  Sir  H.  Gil- 
lert^  to  plant,  and  inhabit  fome  northern  Parts 
of  y4//;tfnV^,unpofrers'd  by  anyPrince,  with  whom 
fhe  had  any  Alliance. 

March  25.  1584,  Queen  Elizabeth  granted  to 
Sir  IV.  Raleigh  a  Patent  for  foreign  Parts  not 
pofTefled  by  any  ChrillianPrince.  And  the  fame 
Year,  he  took  Poffeflion  of  the  Country,  to  the 
weflward  of  Koanoke^  and  called  it  Virginia^  in 
Honour  of  his  Miftrefs.  He  fcnt  three  feveral 
Colonies,  to  fettle  in  thofe  Parts,  who  all  failed. 
As  did  Capt.  Gofnold  in  a  like  Attempt,  to  fet- 
tle, in  what,  isCnce  called  New-EtJgland^  which 
he  fifft  difcovered  in  1602.  And  feveral  other 
Attempts  met  with  the  like  ill  Succefs. 

Afril  10  16065  King  James  divided  Virginia 
into  two  Colonies,  which  were  called  South  and 
North,the  firfl  between  34 and  4iDegreesNorth, 
and  the  lail  between  38  and  45,  and  they   were 

not 


An  Hiftorical  Difcourfs^  &c.  $ 

not  to  fettle,  within  an  hundred  Miles  of  one 
another.  By  1611  ihefoutbem  or  London  Ccm^ 
pany^  had  made  an  effectual  Settlement  ^  while 
the  northern  or  Plymouth  Company  were  almoft 
difcouraged  at  their  repeated  Difappointments. 
However  Judge  Pophamy  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges^ 
and  othersa  continued  their  Attempts,  and  their 
Defigns,  till  divine  Providence  began  aSettlement, 
within  their  J urifdidtion,  without  their  Knov/- 
ledge  or  Contrivance. 

It  is  acknowledged  on  all  Hands,  the  firfi  Set- 
tkments  of  New- England^  were  a  Confequence 
of  the  Dilputes,  which  attended  the  Reformation 
in  England ,  and  therefore  we  muft  obferve, 
that  during  this  Time,  viz.  1517,  Learning  ha- 
ving revived  all  over  Europe^  the  Keformation 
was  begun  by  Luther^  and  others  in  Germany^ 
and  carried  on  in  fevcral  Parts  of  Chrijiendom^ 
particularly  in  England^  where,  after  a  long 
Struggle,  it  was  finally  eflablifhed,  by  A6i  of 
Parliament.^  under  Qiaeen  Elizabeth^  who  began 
to  reign  November  17.  1558- 

As  the  whole  Chrijiian  Religion^  had  been  cor« 
rupted,  and  disfigured  by  the  Inventions  and  Im- 
pofitions  of  Popery,  in  a  long  Courfe  of  Time, 
it  is  fo  far  from  being  to  be  wondered  at,  that  it 
could  not,  but  be  expedled,  that  many,  who 
were  juftly  and  equally  offended,  at   the   horrid 

Corruptions 


6  An  Hiftorkal  Difcourfe^  &c. 

Corruptions  of  Popery,  fhould  yet  be  unable, 
entirely  to  agree  in  their  Sentiments,  of  what 
Things  were  to  be  reformed,  or  how  far,  they 
fhould  carry  the  Reformation  at  the  firft.  And 
yet  this,  was  every  where,  a  great  and  unhappy 
Remora  to  that  glorious  Work,  and  gave  their 
Enemies,  a  very  confiderable  Advantage,  which 
they  well  knew  how,  and  failed  not  to  im- 
prove to  the  utmoft. 

The  EfF<;(5ls  of  thefe  Divifions,  and  the  Ani- 
mofities  with  v/hich  they  were  maintained,  were 
felt  in  England^  not  only,  in  the  Beginning  of 
the  Reformation^  but  after  it  was  eilablifhed,  and 
even  ever  (ince  to  this  Day.  Among  the  Re- 
formers in  Qjjeen  Elizabeth^  Reign  (  many  of 
whom  had  been  Exiles  in  Queen  Mary's  Perfe- 
cucion,  and  fo  had  more  Opportunity,  to  fee  and 
converfc  wich  the  foreign  Proreltants  )  there 
were  many,  who  fought  to  carry  the  Reformati- 
on, farther  in  fome  Points,  than  had  been  done 
in  King  Edward*s  Time.  They  fought  to  take 
away  every  Thing,  they  imagined,  had  the  Co- 
Jour  of  SuperlHtion,  and  to  make  the  Bible 
their  real  Rule  in  VVorlhip,  and  Difcipline,  as 
well  as  in  Faith.  Thefe  were  prefently  called 
Furitans^  as  pretendi[)g  to  feek  a  purer  Church 
State,  and  a  farther  Reformation,  than  the  other 
Parry,  tho'c  wasneceflary  or  expedient. 

^bofe 


An  Hijlorical  Difccurfe^  &c.  f 

^hofe^  had  not  the  fame  Exceptions,  to  many 
Things  the  Puritans  fcrupled  j  and  befide,  tho't 
it  was  but  good  Policy,  to  make  as  few,  and  as 
little  Changes  and  Alterations,  as  poflible,  efpeci- 
ally  in  the  Ceremonies,  which  moft  powerfully 
afFed  the  Vulgar,  in  order  to  draw  in  the  Bulk 
of  the  Clergy,  and  the  Nation,  to  favour  the  o- 
ther  Alterations,  which  all  of  them  efteemed  to 
be,  of  the  molt  Importance.  And  the  ^esn 
zealoufly  efpoufing  this  Party,  turned  the  Bal- 
lance  in  their  Favour,  and  accordingly  for  fome 
Years,  the  whole  Nation,  in  Effedt,  came  to 
Church,  tho'  the  Times  were  far  from  being 
fctled. 

The  Puritans^  it  feems,  had  few  or  no  Ob- 
jedions,  to  the  Articles  of  Faith ^  but  they  chief- 
ly, objeded  againfl  the  Liturgy^  the  Ceremonies^ 
and  ihcConJiittition  and  Di/cipline.  But  however, 
they  were  not  perfectly  agreed  among  thcm- 
felves  5  while  the  much  larger  Part  of  them.  Fa- 
thers of  thofe  fince  called  Prefbyterians^  generally 
ftrove  to  keep  their  Places  in  the  Church,  without 
conforming  to  fome  of  the  moft  cfFenfive  Ceremo- 
nies, and  by  voluntary  Agreement  among  them- 
Mves^  fought  to  remedy,  and  fupply  what  they 
tho't,  was  amifs  or  wanting,  in  xht  parliamentary 
Eftabhjhment',  others  of  them.  Fathers  of  thofe 
fince  called  Independents  and  Congregaticnahfts^ 
feparated  wholly  from  the  publick  Worfhip,    ia 

the 


S  An  HiftoYtcal  Difcouirfe^  &c. 

the  Parifh  Churches,  and  fought  a  thorough  Al- 
teration, in  the  whole  Form  and  Conftirution  of 
the  Churchy  and  to  Jay  afide  the  Liturgy,  and  all 
the  Ceremonies  together. 

Queen  Elizahttb  kept  a  watchful  and  jealous 
Eye  over  them  all,  as  fearing,  and  being  deter- 
mined againft  all  farther  Alterations  in  religious 
Matters.  And  Subfcription  and  Conformity, 
being  at  Times  preflfed  harder,  as  the  Friends  to 
the  Puritans  were  out  of  Power,  fome  of  them, 
efpecially  of  thofe  called  Seperatiftx^  had  been 
driven  out  oi  England ^  and  at  Length  there  was 
a  Church  of  the  Independent  Scheme^  formed  at 
Amjterdam  in  Holland,  In  the  Reign  of  King 
James  (  whom  the  Puritans  expedted,  to  be  a 
Patron  to  them,  as  he  had  been  educated  in 
Scotland^  and  had  openly  cenfured  the  Church  of 
England^  thofeTh\ngs  which  offended  them,were 
carried  with  an  higher  Hand.  In  the  Years  1608 
and  1609,  feveral  more  of  them  in  the  North  of 
England^  removed  to  Holland^  and  a  Number  of 
them  fettled  at  Leyden  under  the  paftoral  Care  of 
Mr.  John  Kohinfon  (  afterwards  the  Father  of 
Plymouth  Colony  )  in  hopes,  to  enjoy  that  Liher^ 
ty  of  their  Confcicnces^  in  a  ftraKge  Land,  they 
were  denied  at  Home. 

Here  they  continued  eleven  or   twelve   Tears, 
*til),  for  many  Reafons,  they  began  to  meditate 


An  Hiftorical  Lifcourfe^  &c.  9 

a  Removal,  and  chofe  to  feek  an  Afylum^  fomc- 
wheri  in  Nortb-Amsrica  near  Hud/on' s  River. 
They  had  a  long  and  tediousTreaty^withtheSou- 
thern  or  Virginia  Company^  who  might  reafonably 
expe6t,  greater  Sobriety,  Patience,  and  Induftry, 
from  aPeople  of  fuch  aCharadter,and  in  fuch  Cir- 
cumllances,and  who  had  fuch  Views  and  Defigns 
of  their  own,  than  they  had  found,  in  fuch  other 
People,asihey  could  prevail  on,to  tranfportthem- 
felves  into  a  Wildernefs.  However  the  Factions 
and  Difturbances  in  the  Company,  and  other 
Caufes,  delay'd  the  Affairs  for  fome  Time,  'till 
1619,  in  the  F^//,  they  obtain'd  a  Patent  for  the 
Land,  but  they  could  not  obtain  a  legal  Aflu- 
rance  of  the  Liberty  of  iheirConfciences.  How- 
ever they  determin'd  at  length  to  remove,  de- 
pending on  fome  generalPromifes  of  Connivance, 
if  they  behaved  themfelves  peaceably, and  hoping 
that  the  Diftance,  and  remotenefs  of  the  Place, 
as  well  as  the  piihlick  Service^  they  fhould  do  the 
King  and  Kingdom^  would  prevent  their  being 
diilurbed. 

After  encountring  many  Difficulties,  and  Dif- 
couragements,  from  the  Nature  and  Circumftan-" 
ces  of  their  Voyage,  and  from  the  Treachery  of 
fome  of  the  Undertakers,  they  arrived  at  Caft 
Cod  on  the  gtb  of  November  1620.  Here  they 
found  their  Fate;n  ufelefs^  this  Place  being  withia 

D  the 


10  An  Hiftorical  Difiourfe^  &c, 

the  Bounds  of  the  New-  England  ox  Plymouth  Com- 
fany  j  and  yet  Neceflity  obliged  them  to  fc^ 
down  thereabout.  They  did  therefore  two  Days 
after  incorporate  themfelvss  a  Body  politick^  and 
having  made  fuch  a  Search  of  the  adjacent 
Country,  as  their  Circumftances  would  allow,  at 
that  Time  of  the  Year,  they  began  their  Settle- 
ment, about  Chriflmafs,  at  a  Place,  called  by 
the  Indians^  Patuxet^  by  them  named  New-Ply^ 
moutb.  Infinite  almod  were  the  Hardfhips,  and 
DiftrcfTes  of  the  enfuing  Winter,  in  which  near 
half  the  Company  died,  for  want  of  NecefTaries. 
However  through  the  merciful  Providence  of  GOD 
they  maintained  their  Ground,  and  through  many 
Difficulties,  which  they  overcame  by  Patience 
and  the  divine  Bleffing,  ihey  encreafed  to  three 
hundred  Souls  in  nine  Years  after,  when  they  ob- 
tained a  Patent^  from  the  New- England  Company 
the  13th  oi  January^  1629,30. 

In  that  Period,  there  had  been  many  fuccefs- 
Jefs  Attempts,  to  make  Settlements  in  New-Eng^ 
/^/;i,  for  the  fake  of  ^rade  and  Husbandry  only^ 
as  if  divine  Providence  had  referved  the  Place 
for  thofe  who  foon  after  took  PofTeflion  of  it. 
The  Succefs  of  the  Plymouth  Planters  began  to 
excite  the  Puritans^  all  over  England^  to  medi- 
tate a  Removal,  to  thofe  Parts  of  the  World,  in 
order  to  enjoy  the  Liberty  of  worfhipping  GOD 
according  to  their  Confciences.     There   was  no 

Ground 


An  Hiftdrkal  Dlfcourfe^  &c.  fi 

Ground  at  all  left  them  to  hope  for  any  Condc- 
fcentionor  Indulgence  to  their  Scruples,  butUni- 
formity  was  pre  fled  with  hardcrMeafures  than  e- 
vcr.  A  greatPart  of  iheNation  was  alarmed,with 
the  Apprehenfions  oiArminianifm^  and  that  evea 
Popery  itfelf  was  approaching ;  yea,  the  civU 
Affairs,  and  the  Peace  of  the  Nation,  began  to 
be  embroiled  and  interrupted  by  the  falfe  Poli- 
ticks, and  bad  Councels  of  the  unhappy  Prince 
on  the  Throne  j  fo  that  New- England  began  to 
be  looked  on  by  them,  as  a  Place  of  Refuge; 
and  it  is  faid,  that  fome  who  proved  principal 
Aftors  in  the  Changes  and  Events  that  followed, 
had  even  determined  to  tranfport  themfelves 
here,  had  they  not  been  unaccountably  reflrain- 
ed  by  Authority.  This  is  certain,  the  fame 
Principles  in  fome  Perfons,  which  had  rendred 
their  Stay,  uneafy  at  Home,  and  which  refufed 
them  a  legal  Toleration,  in  the  Wilds  of  America^ 
made  their  leaving  the  Kingdom,  as  difficult  as 
pofiible.  Whereas  could  good  Policy  have  pre* 
vailed  over  Bigotry,  it  would  have  appeared  a 
good  Expedient  for  them,  thus  to  clear  the  King- 
dom of  the  DifafFefted  and  Nonconformifts,  and 
with  tbem  make  fuch  an  efFedual  Plantation^  as 
promifed  a  gresLtAddition  t^  tbefrade  andRicbes^ 
and  Power  of  the  Kingdom^  and  greatly  enlarged 
its  Territory. 

Mr. 


1%  An  Hiflofical  Bifcourfi^  &c 

Mr.  IVhite  of  Darchejier^  the  Father  of  the  Maf- 
fachufetts  Colony^  encouraged  Mr.  .R.  Cnant^  who 
had  on  Difgull,  removed  from  Plymouth  to  Nan» 
tasket^  to  continue  in  the  Country,  with  the 
Promife  of  Men,  and  all  Things  neceffary  for  a-- 
nother  Plantation,  Whereupon  this  Gentleman, 
1625,  removed  to  Cape-Ann^  and  the  next  Year 
to  Naumkeak^  fince  called  Salem,  March  19, 
1627,85  the  Council  for  New-England  figned  the 
Majfachufett s  Patent^  ind  March  ji^^  1628,9,  tho 
King  confirms  it  by  a  Charter.  TheNonc-nformiJfs 
£0  called,  are  bufiiy  employed  about  their  inten- 
ded Expedition.  In  1628,  they  fend  Mr.  Endi* 
cot^  with  fome  People,  to  begin  and  prepare  the 
Way  for  them,  and  the  next  Year  they  fend  Mr^ 
Higginfon  and  many  more,  and  1630,  Governour 
IVtnthorp^  deputy  Governour  Dudley^  with  the 
AJJiftants^  the  Charter^  and  i $00  People ^  and  all 
Neceffaries,  came  over  and  made  effedtual  Set- 
tlements at  CharleftLwn^  IVatertown,  Dorchefter^ 
Bofion^  &c.  and  more  of  their  Friends  coming 
over  to  them,  in  the  following  Years,  the  new 
Settlements  cncreafed,  and  profpercd,  notwith- 
Handing  the  many  Difficulties,  and  Hardlhips 
which  muft  necelTat-ily  attend,  the  planting  fuch 
a  remote  IVihhnefs, 

As  the  Country  was  more  fully  difcovered,  the 
Lands  on  Connect  cut  River  ^  grew  fo  famous  for 

their 


An  Hijlorical  Difc:urfe^  &c.  13 

their  Fruitfulnefs,  and  Convenience  to  keep  Cat- 
tle, that  great  Numbers  from  New-^cwn^  Dor- 
cbejier^  &c.  removed  there,  under  the  Condu(ft 
of  Mr.  Hains^  Mr.  Hopkins^  Mr.  Ludlow^  and 
Mr.  H.oker^  &c.  and  thro'  inexpreflible  Hard- 
ih  ps,  thro'  Famine,  and  Wearinefs,  and  Perils 
of  the  Enemy,  they  at  length  fettled  at  Hartford 
1635  and  1636,  which  was  the  Beginning  of 
Cntieuiiciit  CJutiy^  and  in  1637  New- Haven  Co- 
lony^  was  begun  by  a  People  diredly  fiom  Etig^' 
lan.I^  under  the  Leading  of  Mr.  Eaton^  and  Mr. 
Davenpcrt^  &c.  Thus  the  four  grand  denies  of 
New- England^  were  begun  in  a  few  Years,  and 
fome  faint  Attempts  likewife  made  to  fettle,  in 
the  Eaftward  Parts,  in  the  Province  of  Main  ^^.c- 
fcr  the  fake  of  Trade  and  Fifhery,  and  by  fome 
ofthePeople  who  afterwards  came  here.  Which 
brings  me  to  the  more  immediate  Occr^fion  of  the 
Settlement  of  this  Colony^  and  the  Manner  in  which 
it  was  brought  about ^and  accimpHJhed  :  It  is  allow- 
ed by  all  Sides,  the  religious  Differences  among  the 
firfl  Settlers  of  the  Maffachufetts  Colony^  gave  Rife 
to  this  Qjlony^  and  the  fettling  of  this  ]/!and. 

Almoft  all  the  firfl  Settlers  of  New- Engl  an  Jj. 
were  Puritans,  The  People  at  Plymouth  were  ge-- 
iierally  of  that  Sort  called  Seperatifts^  and  thofe  of 
jB^y?i?«  generally  had  lived  in  the  Communion  of 
the  Church  of  England^  tho' they  fcrupled  confor- 
ming to  fame  of  theCeremonies.  But  thefe  being 
D  2  come 


14  An  Hijlorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

come  to  fo  great  aDiftance  ffom  the  Bifhops  Pow- 
er, could  well  enough  agree  in  the  fame  Forms 
of  Worfhip,  and  Method  of  Difcipline  with  the 
Church  at  Plymouth^  and  a  mixtForm  of  Church 
Government  was  generally  fet  up.  Tho'  they 
had  feemed  well  enough  united,  by  the  common 
Zeal  againft  the  Ceremonies,  yet  now  they  were 
removed  from  the  ecclefiaflical  Courts,  with  a 
Patent  which  gave  them  Liberty  of  Confciencc, 
a  Variety  of  Opinions,  as  to  feveral  Points,  be- 
fore not  fo  much  rega»*ded,  and  perhaps  not 
tho'c  of,  now  began  to  be  vifible,  and  operate 
with  confiderable  EiFedts.  It  is  no  Wonder  fuch 
Differences  inOpinion,  arofe  among  them,  as  had 
been  the  Cafe  before  among  theProteftantsin  ge- 
neral. It  was  the  avowedOpinion  of  fome  among 
them  of  chicfeftNote  &  Authority,  (Mr.  Hooker.^ 
*'  That  there  were  two  great  Referves  for  En- 
"  quiry  in  that  Age  of  the  World,  Firft,  where- 
*'  in  the  fpiritual  Rule  of  our  Lord's  Kingdom 
*'  doth  confift,  and  after  what  Manner  it  is  re- 
*^  vealed,  managed,  and  maintained  in  the  Souls 
•*  of  his  People.  The  Second,  After  what  Or- 
*'  der  the  Government  of  our  Lord's  Kingdom  is 
**  to  be  externally  managed  and  maintained  in 
•'  his  Church."     Magnalia  B.  3.  p.  66. 

Notwithftanding  which,  the  chief  Leaders, 
SLud  the  major  Part  of  the  People,  foon  difcove- 
red  themfelves,    as  fond    of  Utuformity^  and  as 

loth 


An  H'tjlorkal  Difcourfe^  &c.  i^ 

loth  to  allow  Liberty  of  Confcience  to  fuch  as  dif- 
fered from  themfelves,  as  thofe,  from  whofe 
Power  they  had  fled.  Notwithftanding  all  theic 
Sufferings  and  Complaints  in  England ^\hty  Teem- 
ed incapable  of  mutual  Forbearance, perhaps  they 
were  afraid  of  provoking  the  higher  Powers  at 
Home,  if  they  countenanced  other  Se6ls  ^  and 
perhaps  thofe  who  differed  from  them,  took 
the  more  Freedom,  in  venting  and  prefling  theic 
peculiar  Opinions,  from  the  Safety,  and  Protedi- 
on  they  expected,  under  a  Charter^  that  had 
granted  Liberty  of  Confciencs, 

In  Reality  the  true  Grounds  cf  Liberty  of  Con- 
fci^nce^  were  not  then  known,  or  embraced  by  a- 
ny  Sed  or  Party  of  Chriflians ,  all  Parties  feem- 
ed  to  think,  that  as  they  only  were  in  the  Poffefli- 
on  of  the  Truth,  fo  thty  alone  had  a  Right  to 
reftrain,  and  crufli  all  otherOpinions,  which  they 
refpedively  called  Error,  and  Herefy,  where 
th^y  were  the  moft  numerous,  and  powerful ;  and 
in  other  Places  they  pleaded  a  Title,  to  Liberty 
and  Freedom  of  their  Confciences.  And  yet  at 
the  fame  Time,  all  would  difclaim  Perfecution  foe 
Confcience  fake,  which  has  fomething  in  it  fo 
unjuft,  and  abfurd,fo  cruel  and  impious,  that  all 
Men  are  afhamed  of  the  lealllmputation  of  it.  A 
Pretet2ce  of  the  publick  Feace^  the  Prefervation  of 
the  Cburcb  of  Cbrift  from  Infection,  and  the  Ohfti-- 
nacy  vf  the  Hereticks^  are  always  made  ufe  of,  to 

excufe 


i6  An  Hijlorical  Di/courfe^  &c. 

cxcufe,  and  jullify  that,  which  ftiip'd  of  all  Dif- 
guifes,  and  called  by  it's  tiue  Name,  tht  Light 
of  Nature^  and  the  Lci'-jds  of  Cbrifi  Jefus  condemn 
and  forbid  in  the  mofl  plain  and  lolemn  Man- 
ner. Mr.  il.  IVtUiams^  and  Mr  J  Clark^  two 
Fathers  of  this  Colony y  appear  among  the  firft, 
who  publickly  avowed,  that  Jefus  Cbrijl  is  King 
in  his  own  Kingdom^  and  that  noOihcrs,  had  Au- 
thority over  his  Subjeds,  in  the  Affaiis  of  Con- 
fcience,  and  eternal  Salvation.  So  that  it  was 
not  fingular,  or  peculiar  in  thofe  People  at  the 
Maffuchufats^  to  think  themfelves  bound  in  Con- 
fcience,  toufe  the  Sword  of  the  civil  Magiilrate, 
to  open  the  Underftandings  of  Hereticks,  or  cut 
them  off  from  the  State,  that  they  might  not  in- 
fect the  Church,  or  injure  the  publick  Peace. 
Thefe  were  not  the  only  People,  who  iho't  they 
were  doing  GOD  good  Service,  when  fmiting 
their  Brethren  and  Fellow-Servants  ;  all  ether 
Chrifiian  Seels  aded  generally,  as  if  they  tho'c 
this  was  the  very  beft  Service  they  could  do  to 
GOD,  and  the  moll  efFedual  Way,  to  promote 
the  Gofpel  of  Peace,  and  prove  themfelves  the 
true  and  genaine  Difciples  of  J(fi<^  Cbrijl  —  of 
Jefus  Chrift^  who  hath  declared,  his  Kingdnmwas 
not  of  this  IVorld^  who  had  commanded  his  Dif- 
ciples to  call  no  Man  Mafter  on  Earthy  who  had 
forbidden  them,to  e^ercifeLordJhipcvsr  each  other^s 
Confciences^  who  had  required  them,  to  let  the 
yares  grow  with  the  IVbeat  till  the  Harveft^    and 

who 


Ati  Hijiorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  17 

Ki\io  had  in  fine,  given  mutualLove^  Peace,  Long- 
SufFering,  and  Kindnefs,  as  the  Badge  and  Mark 
of  his  Keligion. 

Mr.  Roger  iVilliams^  a  Minifler,  who    came  o- 
ver  to  Saleiii  1630,  had  on  a   Difguft,    removed 
to  Plymouth^  where  he  was  an    AJJiJlatit    to  their 
Mtnifier  Mr.  Smith  for    two  Tears.     And    being 
difgufted  likewife  at  Plymouth^  returned  back  to 
Salem^  where  he  was  chofen   by    the  People,    to 
fucceed  Mr.  Skelton  in  1634,  ^^^  Magifirates  op- 
pofed  his  Settlement  there,  as  they  had  done  be- 
fore.    They  made  great  Objedions  to  his    Prin- 
ciples, and  it  is  faid  fome  worldly  Things,  helped 
to  encreafe  the  Animoiities,  that  foon    prevailed 
againfl  him  ^  tho'  Mr.  H-^tlliams  appears,  by  the 
wholeCourfe  andTenour  of  his  Life,and  Condudt 
here  to  have  been  cfje  of  the  mofl  difinterefled  Men 
that  ever  Itved^  a  mofi  pious  ^  heavenly  mindedSoul, 
Hewas  charged  with  holding  it  '^  unlawful  foran 
''  unregenerate  Man   to  pray,   or   a     regenerate 
''   Man  to  pray  with  him."     "  That  it  was  un- 
*^  lawful  for  the  Magiltrate,  to  meddle  with  the 
"  Breaches  of  the  firfl  Table, "    and  that  he    in- 
fixed on  an  ufilimited  'TcJcration^  or    Liberty  of 
ConfcJence ;   from   whence   they   inferred    him, 
an   Advocate  f  r    Licenticufnefs^   which   the  good 
Jllan's    Scul   abhorred^      *^  and   ever  di/claii7?edf 
However,  on  thefe  Accounts,  and    for    teaching 
^he  Patent  wasfinfaJ^  (  in  what  Sen/esindhcw  truly 
E  '^  is 


1 8  j^n  Hijlorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

5s  very  obvious  )  for  oppofing  the  Oath  of  Fidelity 
(  not  out  ofDi/loyalty  to  the  King,  but  on  account 
of  the  Nature  of  an  Oath^  which  he  tho't  as  a  fa- 
cred  Thing,  ought  not  to  be  forced  on   all  Men 
promifcuoully,  whether  in  a  State  of  Grace,   or 
Nature  )  ^'  and  for  feperating  from,    and   re- 
•'  nouncing  Communion  with,  all  the  Churches 
''  in  the  Land,  and  even  with  his  own,  for  noc 
*'  joining  with  him  therein."     For  thcfe  Things 
he  was  at  length  banifhed  the  Colony,  as  a    Dtf- 
turher  of  the  Peace  of  the    Church   and  Common^ 
Wealth'^  and  as   he    fays,    "a  Bull  of  Excom- 
*'  munication,     was    fent    after     him    in     bis 
^'  Abfence." 

He  came  away  to  Secunke^  Cnce  caWedRehohotb^ 
where  he  procured  a  Grant  of  Lands,  from  Ou- 
famequin^  or  Maffafoiet^  the  chief  Sachem  of  Po- 
kanoktL  But  being  defired  to  remove  from 
thence,  which  was  within  the  Jurifdidlion  of 
New-Plymouth^  "  he  had  feveral  Treaties  with 
*'  Myantonomy^  and  Canonicus^  the  Nantyganfick^ 
''  or  Narragafj/et  Sachems^  in  the  Years  1634  and 
*'  1635  ;  who  affured  him  he  fhould  not  want 
'*  for  Land,  for  a  Settlement  •"  divine  Provi- 
dence  giving  him  wonderfully,  great  Favour  in 
the  Eyes  of  the  Sachems.  And  in  the  Spring  of 
the  Year  1634,5,  he  came  over  the  River,  to  a 
FUce  called  by  the  Indians  MoiJJjaufick^  and  by 
hmi  named  Providence^     "  in  a  8enfe   of  GOD's 

"  merciful 


An  Hiftorical  Bifcotirfe^  &c.  19 

*^  merciful  Providence  to    him    in  his  Diftrers." 
And    feveral    of    his  Friends  following     him, 
<hey  planted  there.     The  Authority  and   Power 
of  Mi  ant  otiomy^  awed  all    the  Indians   round,   to 
afliil  and  fuccour  thefe    few  feeble  and   helplefs 
Engltjh  Men^  thus  call  out  by  their  Brethren,  in 
a  Itrange  Land.     However,  we  muft  (to  be  im- 
partial )  own,  that  their  being  EngUJJo-Men^  was 
a  real  Security  and  Prote<5lion  to  them  ^    unlefs 
the  Indians  had  defigned  a  general    War.     The 
EngltJJj  at  Majfacbufetls^  employed   Mr.  IVilliams^ 
to  make  a  League  ofFenfive  and  defcnfive   with 
the   Narraganfet   Indians,    in    the  Pequot    M'ar^ 
which  followed  in    1637.     And  the    Indian  Sa- 
chems, in  one  of  their  Confirmations  of  theGranrs 
of  Lands    to    him,   *   exprefs    their  Gratitude, 
*'  for  the  many  Kindneffes,  and  Services  he  had 
"  continually  done    for   them,  both    with  iheir 
"  Friends  atMaJJacbufetts^  as  alfo  at  ^mniticut^ 
*'  and  Apaum  or  Plymouth'^     Mr.  IVilltams    alfo 
maintained  a  lovingCorrefpondence^with  manyof 
his  old  Friends  to  the  Eaft,  and  wasefteemed  and 
valued  by  many  of  them  ;  tho'  he  ever  oppofed, 
and  that  in  Print,  once  and  again,  what  he  called 
the  hhody  7'enent^  i.  e  every  Kind  and  Degree  of 
Perfecution  forConfcience  fake.     The  Hardfhips 


The  faid  Wriing  is  dared  Nayitiggarfck^  the  24th  of  the 
firft  Mon'h,  commonlv  called  March,  the  fecond  Year  of 
o  ir  Plantation,  or  p'anting  at  Mocjjajick  or  Providems, 

£  2,  and 


20  An  Hijlorical  BifcGurfe^  &c. 

and  Diilreffes  of  thefe  poor  Exiles,  are  hardly 
to  be  conceived  by  the  prcfent  Generation,  who 
thro'  the  divine  Goodnefs,  have  never  feen  any 
Thing  like  what  they  chearfully  endured.  But 
divine  Providetice^  in  which  they  trufted,  fuppor- 
ted  them,  and  provided  for  them  in  their  greateft 
Straits,  and  wondeifully  bleffed  their  honeft  In- 
duftry,  fo  that  in  a  few  Years,  they  had  Plenty 
of  all  Things  necelTary  to  their  Subfillence  and 
Comfort. 

The  Banifhmentof  Mr.  IVtHiams^  SLnd  the  vo- 
luntary Exile  of  many  of  his  Adherents,  did  no^ 
put  an  End  to  the  unhappy  Divifions,  and  Con- 
tentions in  the  Majfacbufetts.  Mr.  Hains  the 
Governour,  in  1635,  did  with  great  Difficulty, 
Hill  and  quiet  the  Storm  for  the  prefent,  in  the 
Beginning  of  his  Adminiltration  ,  but  Mr,  after- 
u'ards  Sir  Henry  Vajie^  jun.  arriving  at  Bcfion 
that  Summer,  and  zealouily  falling  in  with  the 
Opinions  of  one  Party,  he  was  by  them  per- 
fwai^^i^^  to  tarry  there,  (  tho'  defigned  for  Con- 
ne^icut  Rivsr  )  and  was  the  next  Year,  1636, 
cbofen  Governour^  and  then  the  Animofuies  and 
Contentions,  were  carried  to  a  very  great  Heigtb, 
One  Side  reproaching  the  other,  as  Legalifis  and 
under  a  Covenant  of  ^^orks^h^c.  and  the  others 
calling  them  Familifis^  Antinoraians^  &c..  The 
next  Year,  Mr.  F/intbr  p  being  rechofen  Gover- 
liour,  with  a  great  Scrugglejhe  Ihenucully  c^^erred 

himlelf, 


An  H'tftorical  Difccurfe^  &c.  21 

himfeir,  to  crufh  and  exterminate  the  Opinions, 
he  difapproved.  A  Synod  was  called  for  that 
End  at  New-l'cwn  (fince  named  Cambridge  )  on 
the  30th  o^L  Ai^guft^  where  Eighty  erroneous  Opinio 
ons^  were  prefented,  debated,  and  condemned  -^ 
and  a  Court  held  on  the  2d  of  O^lober  following, 
at  the  fame  Place,  baniihed  a  few  of  the  chief 
Ferfons,  among  thcfe  who  were  afperfed  with 
thofe  Errors,  and  cenfured  feveral  that  had  beea 
the  molt  adive,  not,  it  feems,  for  their  holding 
thofe  Opinions,  but  for  their  pretended  feditious 
Carriage  and  Behaviour  j  and  the  Church  atBofton, 
Jikewife  excommunicated  at  leall  one  of  her 
Members,  not  for  thofeOpinions, but  for  denying 
ihey  ever  held  them,  and  the  Behaviour,  which 
thefe  Heats  occafioned  ^  and  fome  of  tbefe^  with 
their  Friends  and  Fcd/owers^  came  to  this  Jjland, 

Notwithllandingfuch  a  formidable  Number  of 
Errors,  produced  at  the  Synod,  that  which  thefe 
People  differed  in  from  the  others,  was  chiefly  this ^ 
as  Mr.  John  Clark  has  briefly  reprefented  it,  i^tz^ 
l^ouching  theCcvenants  and  in  Point  of  evidencing 
a  Man's  good  Eftate.  Some  (  fays  he  )  prefs'd 
bard  for  the  Cjvenant  of  IVorks^  and  for  Sancii^ 
fication  to  he  the  fir fi  and  chief  Evidence  -^  others 
''  (he  means  himfelF,  and  thofe  who  came  here) 
"  prefs'd  as  hard  for  the  C'venant  cf  Grace^  that 
''  was  eftahlifloed  on  better  Promifes^  and  for  the 
[\  Evidence  of  the  Spirit j  ^s  that  which  is   a  more 

''  fure^ 


^^  An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

^^  fure^  conftant^andfatisfa^forylfitnefs,''  (^Clark's 
Narrative  Introd.'^  This  Account  is  agreabJe  to 
what  there  is  in  thofe  Books  wrote  on  the  other 
Side,  I  have  had  theOpportunity  toconfult ;  on- 
ly they  muft  be  allowed,  to  cxprefs  their  own 
Way,  their  own  Sentiments  of  the  Opinions  of 
the  other  Side,  and  they  add  fuch  Shades  as  dar- 
ken and  disfigure  the  Opinions  of  the  oppofitc 
Party,  and  fet  offtheir  own  to  the  belt  Advan- 
tage. 

Dr.  Mather^  thus  defcribes  the  five  ^eftions^ 
debated  between  the  Synod  and  Mr.  Cotton j 
(which  were  the  fame  Points  about  which  all 
the  Divifions  firft  began,  )  they  were  "  about 
^^  the  Order  of  things  in  cur  Union  to  our  Lord 
*'  Jefus  Cbrift^  about  the  Influence  of  our  Faitb  in 
*'  theJppJicaticnofhis  Kighteotifnefs^  about  theC//^ 
'^  of  cur  San5iification^in  evidencing  our  Jujiifi- 
"  cation,  and  about  the  C^nfuhration  of  our  Lord 
**  Je/us  Chrift,  by  Men,  yet  under  a  Covenant  of 
"  ff'orks,  briefly  they  were  tbe  Points  wbereon 
"  depend,  tbe  Grounds  of  our  JJfurance  for  Bhffed- 
"  nefs  in  amtber  and  better  iVorJd.  Mag,  B.  7. 
p.  17. 

Mr.  Neal  fays,  "  The  Common- Wealth    was 

"  almnft  torn  in  Pieces,  by   inreftine    Divifions, 

*'  occafioncd  by  the  fpreading  famlUftical  &  an- 

*'  tinmian  Errors,  among  the  People."      And 

from 


An  Hijlorical  Difcottrfe^  &c.  25 

from  the  Writers  before  him,  he   gives  the   Ori- 
ginal of  theControverfy,  to  this  Purpofe,   "  The 
'^  Members    of  the  Church   at  Bofton^  ufed  to 
*'  meet  once  a  Week,  to  repeat  the  Sermons  they 
''  heard    on    the    Lord's- Day,    and    to    debate 
*'  on  the  Dodrines  contained  in   them  ;    thofe 
'^  Meetings  being  peculiar  to  the  Men,  fome   of 
''  ths  zealous  WciiLen^  iho'c  it  might  be  ufeful    to 
"  them.     One  Mrs.  H«?^Z?;«/6/;,  a  Gentlewoman 
^'  of  a  bold  and  mafcuiine   Spirit,   and    a   great 
''  Admirer  of  Mr.Orr^^jfet  up  one  at  her  Houfe, 
'^  The  Novelty  of  the  Thing,  and  the   Fame  of 
*'  the  Woman,  quickly  gained    her  a    numerous 
''  Audience,  and  from  thefe  Meetings  arofe  all 
"  the  Errors,   that  foon    after    overfprcad    the 
"  Country."     He  fays  fhe  taught  that  Believers 
in  Chriil  are  perfonally  united    to  the    Spirit  of 
GOD  ;  ihatCommands  10  workout ourSalvation 
with  Fear  and  Trembling,  belong  to  none,  but 
fuch  as  are  under  the  Covenant  of  Works  ^  that 
Sandtification  is  not  a  good  Evidence  of   a  good 
Edate.     She  likevvife  fet  up,  immediate  Revela- 
tion about  future  Events,  to  be  believed  as  equal- 
ly infallible  with    the   Scriptures  j     and   a    great 
many  other  Chimeras  and  Fancies^  which  (  fays 
he  )  under  a  Pretence  of  exalting  the  free  Grace 
of  GOD,  deftroy'd  the  pradicalPart  of  Religion, 
'^  and  open'd  a  Door  to  all  forts   of  Licentiouf- 
''  nefs."     IS^eaW  Hift.  C.  5-  ?•    166. 


^4  ^n  Hiflorical  Difc'urfe^  &c. 

I  fhall  not  enter  into  the  Merits  of  the  CzM^e^ 
there  is  neither  Time,  nor  Occafion  for  ir,  only, 
I  muftoblerve,  how  each  Side    afcribed    to    the 
ethers,    Confequenccs,    they    imagined    followed 
from  their  Opinions,    which  they  did  not  fee    or 
own.     And   particularly   the   People  who    came 
here,    have  Things  laid   to  their  Charge,    \^'hich 
they  utterly  denied,  and   detefled  equally   with 
their  Antagonifls.     So  harfh'y  did   their    Adver- 
faries  judge  of  them,  as  even    to  involve  in  their 
Opinions,  or  the  Confcquences  of  them,  a  Deni- 
al of  the  Refureaion  oi  the  Dead,  and  the    Life 
everlafiing  ;  which  totally  Tubverts  and  deftroys 
Chrillianity,  and  all  Religion  at  once,  which  ne- 
ctfT^iily  implies  a  future   State  ;   x^bcn    yet  the 
whole   Debate  fuppofed  the  Truth    of    Chrillia- 
nity, and  the  Certainty  of  a  future   States     and 
the  main   Quefiion,    way  about  the  Method   in 
which  they  might    beft  obtain  an    Affurance    of 
their  Interefl  in,  and  their  Title  to,  the   Inheri- 
tance of  the  Saints  in  Light.     The  very   fi>ft    of 
the  eighty  Errors,  to  be  tryed  in  the  Synod,    doth 
(  as  1  remember  )  charge  the  Denial  of  the  Im- 
morrality  of   the  Srul,  as  a  Conftquence   of  the 
Opinion,  that  the  Faculties  ofihe  Soul  are  psfiive 
or  quieicent  in  the  Work  of  Converfion  and  Re- 
generatior)  ;    when   yet   the    Synod    ihemfdves, 
unanimoufly  believed    particular   Elcdlion,   and 

iricTiitab'e  Grace. 

''  The 


Ajd  Hiftorical  Lifcourfe^  &c.  25 

'*  The  Quedion  was.  By  what  Evidence, 
**  muft  a  Man  proceed,  in  taking  to  himfelf  the 
*'  Comforts  of  hisjuftification  ?  The  bigger  Part 
''  of  the  Country  laid  the  firfl  and  main  Strefs 
"  of  our  comfortable  Evidence,  on  our  Sandlifi- 
'^  cation  -,  but  the  Opinionifts  (fays  Dr.  Mather^ 
*'  were  for  another  fort  of  Evidence,  as  their 
*^  Chiefs  namely  the  Spirit  of  GOD,  by  a  power- 
*'  ful  Application  of  a  Promife,  begetting  in  us, 
•'  and  revealing  to  us,  a  powerful  AlTurance  of 
*^  our  being  jqflificd."     Mag,  B.  7.  p.  14. 

Now,  as  the  Doftor  adds  C  even  on  this  Way 
of  flating  the  Queilion,  or  cxpreffing  the 
Sentiments  of  thofc  called  Opinionifts^  which 
they  would  be  far  from  acquiefcing  in,  as 
expreffing  their  full  and  true  Opinion  )  "  The 
Truth  might  eafily  have  united  both  thefe 
*'  Opinions."  But  as  he  goes  on,  "  They 
'^  carried  the  Matter  on  to  a  very  perrilous 
''  Door,  opened  to  many  Errors  and  Evils, 
*'  yea  to  threaten  aSuhverfion  of  the  peaceahle  Or-' 
''  der  in  Government"  But  they  deny  and  dif- 
claim  the  Confequences  fixed  on  them,  and  juf- 
tify  their  own  Opinion  and  Condu6l,and  charge 
the  other  Party  with  as  fatal  and  mifchievous 
Confequences,  and  a  Condudl  arbitrary  and  op- 
preflive. 

B  Belidcs 


26  An  Hijforical  Di/courfe^  &c. 

Befides  the  Differences  about  thofe  Points,  for 
which  thefe  People  were  charged   with    Ant'tno" 
mianifm^  what  was  called  Familifm^  was  perhaps 
not  a  little  offenfive.     Nay  their   Differences    in 
Opinion  were  worked  up  to  almolta  State  Quar- 
rel at    the  lafl,   as  Arminianifm  had  been  in  HoU 
hfid^  and  Epifcopacy  was  in  England  afterwards, 
and  as  the  Reformation  flill   is   all   over   Europe, 
The  publick  Affairs  of  Town   and  Colony    were 
affeded  by  thefe  Contentions,  and  the  Gover- 
nour  and  Afliftants  put  in  and  out,    as  the  one  or 
the  other  Side  prevailed.     The  whole  People  un- 
happily run  into  Fadlions  and  Parties,   in  fuch  a 
Manner,  as  if  Contention  and  every  evil  Work, 
had  not  been  Evidences  inconteftable,   that   the 
VVifdom  from  which  they  proceeded    could    not 
be  from  Above.     But  fo  it  is,  where  Men  differ 
about  Religion,  their  Contentions  are  ufually  the 
moft  fharp,  and  carried  on  with  the  molt    irreli^ 
giousHeat  and  Animofity  :  Even  iho'  they  differ 
about  the  fmallefl  Matters,  or  when,  as  was  the 
Cafe  here,  they  differ  from  each  other   but  in  a 
very  l.ttle. 

A  great  Part  of  the  Body  of  the  People,  and  I 
am  apt  ro  think,  at  the  firfl,  the  Majority  of  the 
Town  of  Bofton^  were  of  the  fame  Side  the 
Queflion  with  thofe  People  who  afterwards  came 
here.  'Tis  certain  the  Synod  and  the  Court  were 
both  held  at  New-Town^  becaufe  of  the   Difaf- 

fedion 


An  Hiflorkal  Difcourfe^  &c.  %^ 

\ 
fedlion  of  the  People  of  Bofton,      The   Deputies 

of  the  I'own^  at  leaft  feme  of  them,  openly  efpou- 

fed  that  Party.     The  fown^   at   leaft  many    of 

them,  ^^^/Y/^/?^^  in  their  Favour.     And    Mt.  Cot^ 

tofi^  the  chief  Oracle  then    of  both  Town    and 

Country,  was  confidently  believed  by    them,    to 

be   of  the    Opinion    they    contended   for.      To 

which  I  might  add  the  Number  of  the    People  in 

tbat  ^own^  that  were  cenfured  at  the  Court, 

Thofe  who  came  away  were  moft  of  them  long 
efteemed  as  Brethren  of  the  Churchy  and  never 
cenfured  by  the  Church  at  all  ;  nay  that  Church 
did  Icng  retain  fome  Particularities,  as  to  the 
Brethren's  Power  in  Church  Affairs,  and  theic 
Liberty  to  exercife  their  Gifts  in  private  or  fa- 
mily Meetings,  and  as  to  the  Subjed^s  of  Infant 
Baptifm.  It  is  certain  Mr.  Wheelwright^  Minif- 
ter  to  a  Branch  of  that  Church,  at  a  Place  fince 
called  Braintree  (  where  the  Town  had  fome 
Lands  )  was  eager  and  zealous  againft  the  Cove- 
nam  of  IVorks  y  and  was  baniflied  by  the  Court 
for  what  was  then  called  Sedition^  by  the  fame 
Rule  which  will  make  every  Diffent  from,  or  Op- 
pofition  to  a  Majority  in  any  religious  y^ffairs^  to 
be  Sedition^  and  an  Iniquity  to  be  punifhed  by 
the  Judge.  The  minor  Part  muft  always  be  fe* 
ditious,  if  it  be  Sedition  to  defend  their  own  re- 
ligious Opinions,  and  endeavour  to  confute  the 
contrary.  This  Maxim  once  allowed  muft  chaici 
F  2  Mea 


ifcS  'An  Hiftofical  Difcourfc,  &c. 

Men  down  under  Errors  and  Falfhoods  wherever 
they  prevail,  and  even  rivet  their  Chains.  On 
this  Foot,  what  will  become  of  the  glorious  Mat" 
tyrs  for  the  Gofpel  in  the  firfl  Ages  of  it,  and  the 
holy  ApoftUs^  who  turned  theWorld  upfide  down, 
who  turned  Men  from  Darknefs  to  Light,  from 
the  God's  of  the  Nations,  whom  they  called  Va^ 
fiitiesy  to  the  living  and  true  GOD.  Nay,  what 
ihall  we  fay  of  our  hlejjed  Saviour  bimfelf^  who  fays 
he  came  to  fend  Divifion  on  Earth.  How  ihall 
we  excufe  the  Proteftants^nsiy  how  Ihall  we  juftify 
the  Puritans  themfehes^  if  it  be  feditious  to  oppofc 
any  religious  Opinions  we  think  are  falfe  or  erro- 
neous, when  the  major  Part  of  the  Society  hap- 
pen to  think  otherwife.  I  muft  farther  add, 
that  however  Mr.  Cotton^  at  the  Synod^  after  long 
Labour  with  him,  difowned  many  of  the  Opini- 
ons charged  on  thefe  People,  yet  he  would  not 
condemn  all  the  faid  Errors  in  the  Grofs,  as  the 
reft  did,  and  there  isfome  Reafon  to  believe  that 
he  differed  from  the  other  Miniflers  to  the  laft, 
at  leaft  in  the  Manner  of  explaining  thefe  mod 
abllrufe  and  difficult  Points ,  if  he  did  not  con- 
tinue to  hold,  that  **  Union  to  Cbrift  luas  before 
**  Faith  in  him^  and  that  the  Habit  of  Faith  pro- 
*'  ceededor  followed  from  our  Jujiification^"  which 
*cis  faid,  he  once  feemed  to  hold  in  the  Synod  ; 
and  which  was  in  Reality  the  Root  or  Fountain  of 
all  theOpiniQns  fu  much  faulted  in  tbisPecpIe,     And 

however 


An  HifiorkaJ  Difcourfe^  &c.  a^ 

however  Mr.  Cotton  has  in  Print  difowned  them, 
and  they  are  by  others  charged  wiihFalfhood  and 
Calumny,  in  Ihrouding  themfelves  under  the 
Authority  of  his  great  Name ;  yet  they  who 
ihould  be  owned  to  know  their  own  Opinions, 
and  underftand  their  own  Expreflions  and  De- 
figns  beft,  always  perfifted  in  it,  that  "  Mr  On 
*^  ton  was  with  them,"  or  that  they  meant  no 
more  than  they  underllood  him  to  mean. 


But  to  return- 


The  Affair  was  agitated  \nCourt  for  threeDays, 
and  fome  changing  Sides  in  the  Court^  the  Ma- 
jority was  on  the  Side  of  the  Synod^  and  took 
Mcafures  cffeftually  to  fupport  their  own  Opini- 
ons. Whereupon,  many  of  the  other  Side 
determined  to  remove,  for  Peace  fake,  and 
to  enjoy  the  Freedom  of  their  Confciences.  And 
Mr.  John  Clark,  "  who  made  the  Propofal,  was 
rcquefted  with  fome  others,  to  feck  out  a  Place, 
and  thereupon  by  Reafon  of  the  fuffocating 
Heat  of  the  Summer  before,  he  went  Njrtb, 
to  be  fomewhat  cooler,  but  the  Winter  fol- 
lowing proving  as  cold,  they  were  forced  in 
the  Spring  to  make  towards  the  South:  So  ha- 
ving fought  the  Lord  for  Diredion,  they  a- 
<^  greed, that  while  their  Veflel  was  pafiing  about 
*'  a  large  and  dangerous  Cape^  (  Cape  Cod  )  they 
"  would  crofs  over  by  Land,  hsiwiD^Lofig- I/land 

''  and 


cc 

(C 

cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 


|Q  j^n  Hiftorical  Difccurfe^  &c. 

'^  and  Delaware- Bay  m  their  Eye,  for  the    Place, 
'^  of  iheir  Refidence.     At  Providence ^Mt.K,Wil' 
*'  Uams  lovingly    entertained  them,   and  being 
*'  confulted  about  their  Defign,  readily  prefen- 
*'  ted  two  Places  before  them  in  the  Narragatifet'- 
*'  Bay^  the  one  on  the  Main  called   Sowwames^ 
(the  fouth-eafterly  Part  of  the  A^.^^    fiuce  cal- 
led Pbehe*s   Neck,  in    Barrington'^  )  and  Aqued' 
*'  ;;^^^5  now  Khode-Jfland^     And  inafmuch   ^» 
they  were  determined  to  go  out  of  every    other 
Jurifdidion,  Mr.  iVilliams  and  Mr.  Clark,  atten- 
ded with  two  other  Perfons,  went  to  Plytnoutb  to 
enquire  how  the  Cafe  Hood  j  they  were  lovingly 
received,  and  anfwered,  that   Sowames  was    the 
Garden  of  theirPatent,     But  they  were  advifed  to 
fettle  at  Aquetneck^^nA  promifed  to  be  looked  on 
as  free,  &  to  be  treated  &aflifted  as  lovingNeigh- 
bours.     (Mr.  J.  Clark's  Nar.^     On  their  Return, 
the  7th  oi  March  163738,  the  People  to  theNum- 
bcr  of  Eighteen^  ||  incorporated  themfelve  a  Body 


*  Perhars  Sowames  kproper\y  xheK^mc  of  theR/t/fr^where  the 
tv.o  Swanzey  Rivers  meet  and  run  toi^etber  for  near  a  Mile, 
wlien  rhey  empty  themfelvcs  in  ihe  Narragarfet  Bryy  or  of  a 
ff?it7ll  IJliindy  where  thofe  two  firftRivers  mecr,  ar  the  Bottom 
of  New  MeadowNecky  fo  called. 

IJ  Their  Names  are  as  Follow,  JVilliam  Cocdington,  Join  Clark^ 
ff^aiiam  Htdtchwfon,  John  Cogp/jhall,  IVtUiamAfpinivall  Samu* 
el  If'ilbore^Jchn  Porter ^Johti  Sanford,  Edward  FIutchln/oti/}un, 
Thwas  Savasie,  ffllfiam  Dyre,  IFilllim  Freehorm,  Philip 
S'e^tymw,  John  If^aiker,  Richard  Carder ,  U-'tUiam  Baul/lon, 
Edward  HuUhirifon  icn,  Flcmy  Brill- 

politick, 


Jtt  HiftoYJcal  Di/cour/e^  &c  31 

politick,  and  chofe  Mr.  Coddington  their  Leader, 
to  be  the  Judge  or  chief  Magiftr ate.  After  the 
fame  Manner  Plymouth  and  Cotwe5iicut  Colonies 
were  forced  to  enter  into  a  voluntary  Agreement 
or  Covenant  at  the  firft,  as  having  no  legal  Au- 
thority amongft  them  ^  the  People  here  however 
immediately  fought  a  Patent^  and  in  a  few  Years 
obtained  one. 

Mr.  R.  IVilliams  was  very  inftrumental  in  pro- 
curing thel/land  of  thelndianSacheras^^nd  has  left 
this  Account  in  perpetuam  rei  rnemoriam  "  It  was 
"  not  Price  or  Money  that  could  have  purcha- 
''  {cd  Rhode- J/latid^  but  'twas  obtained  by  Love, 
*'  that  Love  and  Favour  which  that  honoured 
"  Gentleman,  Sir  Henry  Vane  and  myfelf^  had 
'^  with  the  great  Sachem  Myantonomo^  about  the 
'^  League  which  I  procured,  between  the  Majfa^ 
*'  chufetts  Englijh  and  the  Narraganfets  in  the 
**  Pequot  IVar,  This  I  mention,  that  as  the 
*^  truly  noble  Sir  Henry  Vane^  hath  been  ^o 
"  great  an  Loftrument,  in  the  Hand  of  GOD, 
*'  for  procuring  this  Ifland  of  the  Barbarians^  a« 
^'  alfo  for  the  procuring  and  confirming  ihtChar^ 
*'  ter,  it  may  be  with  all  thankful  Acknowledg- 
''  ments  recorded,  and  remembred  by  us,  and 
^*  ours  who  reap  the  fweet  Fruits  of  fo  great  Be* 
*'  nefits,  and  fuch  unheard  of  Liberties  among 
"  us"         mfs.    of    K.    IV.  And    in    ano- 

ther Manufcrift  he  tells  U5,  thcInJians  were  very 


p  An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

JJoy  and  jealous  of  felling  the  Lands  to  any^  and 
chofe  rather  to  make  a  Grant  of  tbem  to  fuch  as 
they  affedted,  but  at  the  fame  Time,  expeded 
fuch  Gratuities  and  Rewards  as  made  an  Indian 
Gift  often  times  a  very  dear  Bargain.  And  the 
Colony  70  Tears  agon  1666  avered,  that  tho'the- 
Favour  Mr.lVillia^ns  h^d  whhMyantonomywsLS  the 
great  Means  of  procuring  the  Grants  of  theLand, 
yet  ihePurchafe  bad  been  dearer  than  of  anyLands 
in  New-England  3  the  Reafon  of  which  might 
be,  partly,  the  Engltflo  inhabited  between  two 
powerful  Nations,  the  IVamponoags  to  the  North 
and  Eaft^  who  had  formerly  poffelTed  fome  Part 
of  their  Grants,  before  they  had  furrendred  it  to 
the  Narraganfets^  and  tho'  they  freely  own'd  the 
Submiffion,  yet  it  was  tho'tbell  by  Mr.  tVilliams 
to  m.ake  them  eafy  by  Gratuities,  to  the  Sachem 
his  Counfellors  and  Followers.  On  the  other  Side 
the  Narraganfetts  were  very  numerous,  and  the 
Natives  inhabiting  any  Spot  the  Englifh  fat  down 
upon,  or  improved,  were  all  to  be  bought  oif  to 
their  Content,  and  often  times  were  to  be  paid 
over  and  over  again. 

On  the  24th  of  March  1637,8,  this  Day  an 
Hundred  Tear 5^  the  Indian  Sachems  Jigned  the  Deed 
cr  Grant  of  the  Jfland  Aquetneck^  &c.  and  the  £//- 
gU(Jj  not  only  honeftly  paid  the  mentioned  Gra- 
tuities, to  the  Sachems,  but  many  more  to  the 
Inhabitants  to  remove  off,  as  appears  by  the  Kc- 

ceipts 


\ 


An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  §3 

ceipts  ftiJl  eiitant.     And  afterwards,  at  a  conCde- 
rable  Expence,  they  purchafed  Quit-Claims,    of 
the  Heirs  and  SuccelTors  of  the  Sachems  3  befidea 
they  were  forced  to  buy  over  again, feveralParts 
of  the  firfl  Grant.     So  that  they  came  very  juftly 
by  the  Soil.     And   thus  they  defcribe  tbew/elvcs 
twenty  Years  after,  in  anAddrefs  to  the  fuprcam 
Authority  in  England  1659  ;    "  This  poor  Colony 
*'  (  fay  they  )  moftly  confifts,  of  a    Birth,    and 
^'  Breeding    of  the  moft   High.     We   being  an 
"  outcafl  People,    formerly   from  our  Mother- 
*^  Nation,  in  the  Bifliops  Days,    and  fince    from 
<•  the  reft  6i  the  New-EngliJIj  over   zealous  Co- 
*'  lonies.      Our  whole  Frame,    being  much  like 
*'  the  prefect  Frame,   and  Conftitution  of    our 
*'  deareft  Mother  England  ;    bearing  with   the 
'^  feveral  Judgments,  and  Confciences    of  each 
'^  other,  in  all  the  Towns  of  the  Colony  j  which 
''  our  neighbour  Colonies  do  not  5  and  which  is 
*^  the  only    Caufe,    of  their    great    Offence,  a- 
•'  gainll  us." 

The  Settlement  began  immediately,  at  the  J?  t?/?- 

ward  cr  Northward  End  of  the  J/land^(thcn  called 

Pocajfet^^  *  round  theCove^^nd  the  Town  was  laid 

G  out 


*  All  our  Hiftories  cail  the  m^w  Z.^^-^,  over  a?ainft  the  eafter* 
ly  End  of  tlie  Ifland,  where  i^  now^/^-er/oW;  &c.  by  rheName 
of  Pocrffet,  and  in  the  Indian  Grant  ro  the  firft  Serlers,  ths 
Cime  Place  feems    to  bs  called  Po^wac^Jick.    But  ';is  as  evi- 

dent 


34  ^^^  Hijiorica}  Ltfccmfe^  &c. 

out  at  the  Spring,  And  many  of  their  Friends 
following  them  that  Summer,  theic  Number  was 
fo  confiderably  incrcafed,  that  the  next  Spring, 
Tome  of  the  Heads  with  others,  came  to  the 
f  utbernot  wefiern  End  of  the  Ifland.  The  J/land 
was  divided  into  two  ^ownjhips^  the  eaflern  Part 
called  Portfmoiith^  and  the  other  Newport  ;  and 
1644, they  named  the  Ifland  the  Ifle  of  Rhodes  or 
'Rbode^  I/land.  Thus  began  thcSettlement  of  this 
'Ifland  and  Cohny^^nd  thro'  the  goodHand  of  our 
GOD  upon  us,  we  have  continued  to  this  Day. 
GOD  has  blefTed  and  profpered  the  People,  in 
their  Labours,  and  preferved  to  them  their  Pri- 
viledgcs,  for  the  fake  of  which  they  followed 
him  into  the  Wildernefs. 

And  now  having  feen  fomething  of  the  Occa- 
fion,  and  Manner  of  our  firft  Settlement,  let  us 
take  a  JJjort  View  of  the  Htflcry^  and  prefent  State 
cf  the  C)lony. 


dcni  incur  Records,  rhar  rhe  eafiern  End  of  the  Ifland,  is 
called  by  thcf^me  Name  ;  perhaps  \\  I  may  be  in::iilged  a 
Conjedure,  the  Narne^  properly  belonged,  to  the  Stratt  iu 
the  Ktxet  or  Buy^  ar  the  callern  End  oFrhc  ifland,  where  is 
nosv  /7ox^7^?7W's  Ferrv,  and  the  Lands  on  borh  Sides  might 
be  Called  Pcc^Jfety  '(iil  the  Engiifh  Name  oF  Port/mouth  for 
the  caftcrl)  End  of  the  ]fland  prevailed,  when  the  Indian 
Kame  PocrJJlt  n:ight  became  confin'd  to  the  main  Land, 
which  v\a>not  fetled  bv  the  £V;^7y^  for  many  Years  affcc. 
*7'i.s  cctiuin  c^cry  rcmiarkablc  Strait,  or  Fall  in  a  River, 
had  a  A^/JWf  anxui^^  tiic  Irdians^  as  well  as  c\  ery  PoJit  of 
Land  inihcBiy.'  A  Knowledge  of  the  Mcai.ing  of"  the 
hjdi,]n  /fords f  v.oiild  dcc:de  all  Cuch  Difputcs. 

And 


An  Hijlorical  Difcourfe^  &g.  ^^ 

And  here  in  the  firfl  Place,  as  to  the  inbahiting 
the  other  Lands ^  and  ere^itig  the  other  ^{?w?is  m^w 

within  our  Bounds. Atibe/ame  T'imeihG,  Jjland 

was  inhabited^  a  Number  of  the  Providence  Peo- 
ple^  Mr.  Arnold^&ic,  fat  down  atPatuset^  a  Place 
adjoining,  and  within  their  Grant.  They  were 
encouraged  by  the  Meadoijus^  on  theRiver,  which 
were  every  where  an  Inducement,  to  People  to 
fettle  thcmfelves,  as  they  immediately  furnifhed 
Food  for  their  Cattle  in  the  Winter. 

In  1642,35  on  the  i2.\hoi  January^  Shawcmet^ 
or  MiJJjawomet^  fmce  called  li^''arwick^  was  pur- 
chafed  of  Myantonomo ;  Pomham  the  pettySachem 
confenting  to  the  Sale  or  Grant,  iho'  he  after- 
wards denied  it.  The  Grant  was  made  to  Kan^ 
dal  Holden^  John  Wickes^  Samuel  Gorton^  John 
Greene^  Francis  M'ejion^  Richard  Waterman^  John 
Warner^  Richard  Carder^  Sam/on  Sbctton^  R.hcrf 
Potter^  miliavi  IVuodeaJ, 

Here  it  may  be  proper,  to  take  fome  Notice  of 
the  religious  Opinions  oi  Mr.  Gorton^  whole  Fol- 
lowers were  called  Gortcnijls^  or  Gcrtcnians^  hol- 
ding fome  Things  peculiar  to  ihemfelves,  and 
different  from  all  the  ether  People  in  Ncuu- Eng- 
land, 

He  came  to  Rhode- Jjland  \n  June  1638,  wher^ 

he  tarried    'till  1639,40,   that    he    was    on    fome 

Contentions    banifhed    the    Ifland.      Thence  Ire 

G    2  went 


^  An  HiftoYical  Difcourfc^  &c. 

went  to  Providence,  where  many  of  the  People 
growing  uneafy  at  his  planting  and  building  at 
Pataxet,  and  complaining  to  the  MaJfacbufettS' 
Government  in  1642,  he  was  fummoned  to  appear 
before  their  Court,  which  he  defpifed.  But  how- 
ever he  purchafed  this  Trad  of  the  Indians,  and 
removed  there  with  his  Friends.  But  new  Com-  I 
plaints  foon  went  to  Bofton  from  fome  of  the -C;;^- 
lijh,  and  Pcmba7nand  Sccononoko  petty  Sachems  of  j 
the  Indians,  who  it  feems,  were  willing  to  take 
Advantage  of  theProtedtion  of  ih^MaJfachufetts^ 
BngliJJy^  to  revolt  from  their  Subjedion  to  Myan- 
tono^iiy,  as  ilf^^y^/Y  had  done  before,  by  Means 
of  the  Plymoutb'EngliJJj.  Hereupon  Mr.  Gotten 
and  his  Friends  being  fummoned  to  Court,  he  rc- 
fufed  to  obey,  ac  out  of  the  Jurifdidion,  both  of 
Bofton  and  Plymoutb,  who  both  fought  to  (Iretch 
their  Bounds^  to  have  taken  him  in.  The  Go- 
vernment at  length,  fent  up  a  Company  of  ar- 
med xMcn,  who  after  a  fruitlefs  Treaty,  made 
h\iw  aod  his  Friends  Prifoners,  except  a  few  who 
efcaped  by  Flight.  They  were  carried  loBoJion, 
and  afteraTryal  in  their  Court,  condemned,  to 
be  confined  in  a  feverc,  and  even  a  fcandalous 
Manner,  in  fcveral  Towns,  for  the  Winter,  and 
sn  the  Spring  banifhed  the  Colony,  They  came 
to  Rbode-If/and^and  fearing  to  be  again  troubled, 
Ihe  jW'^facbufats  fecking  a  Patent  of  fome  of 
the  }^ur^atifa  Coijncry^  they  procured  an 
^41^4!  ?nci  lol^^mn  SubmiSion  of  the  Sachems  to 

King 


uin  Hijlorical  Di/cotiffe^  &c.  %7 

King  Charles^  on  the  19th  of  y^u^uft  1644,  and 
Meffi.  Gartofi^Gi-eerie^^nd  Hlden^  went  to  England^ 
and  obtained  an  Order,  to  be  TufFered  peaceably 
to  poffefs  their  Purchafe.  And  the  Lands  fore- 
mentionedjbcing  incorporated  in  the  ^  Province  of 
Providence  Plantations  ;  They  returned  &  carried 
on  their  Improvements,  naming  their  Purchafe 
IVarwick^  in  Honour  to  theEarl  of  l^^arwick^'w ho 
gave  them  his  friendly  Protedtion. 

What  Mr.  Gcrton*s  religious  Opinions  really 
were,  is  now  as  hard  to  tell,  as  'cis  to  underftand 
his  molt  myfterious  Diah^^ior  there  are  fufficient 
Reafons,  why  we  ought  not  and  cannot  believe, 
he  held  all  that  are  confidently  fathered  upon  him. 
For  'cis  certain  that  whatever  impious  Opinions, 
his  Advcrfaries  imputed  to  him,  and  whatever 
horrid  Confequences  tbey  drew^irovn  the  Opinions 
he  owned  j  he  afcribed  as  bad  to  them,  and  fixed 
as  dreadful  Confequences  on  their  Tenets  5  and 
at  the  fame  Time,  in  the  moft  folemn  Manner, 
denies  and  difavows  many  Things  they  charge 
him  with;  above  all,  when  he  is  charged  with 
denying  a  future  State,  and  the  Judgment  to 
come,  both  in  Theory  and  in  Pradlice  ;  he  pe- 
remp'rorily,  and  vehemently  denies  the  Charge, 
and  folemnly  appeals  to  GOD,  and  all  that  knew 


*  They  fomerimescilled  themfelves  the  Cclcrsy,  fomcrimcs  the 
Provime  of  Providence  Plaptatms^  ?.nd  lumctinics  the  Colony 
or  Provifjc^,  ~'  ' 

him. 


38  jin  Hifiorical  Lifiourfe^  &c. 

him,  of  the  Integrity  of  his  Heart,  and  the  Purity 
of  his  Hands;  and  avers,  that  he  always  joins 
Eternity  with  Reh'gion,  as  moll  eflfential.  And 
that  the  Doctrine  of  the  general  Salvatiofiifis, 
was  the  Thing  which  his  Soul  hated.)  Mfs,  Let- 
ter hi  Anf,  to  Mr,  Morton's  Memorial,') 

In  an  Addrefsto  King  Charles  II.  1679,  he 
difowns  the  Puritans^  and  moil  unaccountably 
fays,  he  fucked  in  his  peculiar  Tenets,  "from  the 
Breads  of  his  Mother,  the  Church  of  EfJgJafid" 
He  ilrenuoully  oppofed  the  Dodlrines  of  the 
People  called  i^<^/^tfrj.  I  am  informed  that  be 
and  h'lsFoIlowers^  maintained  a  religious  Meeting, 
on  the  firflDay  of  theVVeek,for  above  fixty Years, 
and  that  their  Worfhip  confided  of  Prayers  to 
GOD,  of  Preaching,  or  expounding  the  Scrip- 
tures,and  finging  of  Pfalms.  He  lived  to  a  great 
Age.  He  was  of  a  good  Family  in  England^ 
and  fays  he  made  nfe  of  the  learned  Languages 
m  expounding  the  Scriptures  to  his  Hearers. 

About  1642,3,  there  were  two  trading  Houfes^ 
Tet  up  in  the  Narraganfet  Country  ;  one  by  Mr. 
Wiko^^  and  Mr.  R.  IVilliaras^  the  other  by  Mr. 
Richard  Smithy  and  fome  few  Plantations  made 
near  them,  on  particular  Grants  or  Purchafes  of 
the  Indians,  but  not  very  many  '(ill  1657: 
When  feveral  Gentlemen  on  the  Ifland^  and 
eifcwberc^m^dQ  a'^confiderable  •  Puichafc,  cnlled 

the 


An  Hlftorical  Difcouffe^  &c.*  |^' 

the  Petaquam/cut  Parcbafe.  And  the  fame  Yeac- 
there  wasa  Purchafc  of  the  Ifland  oi  Canonicut^  as 
the  fmailer  Iflands  had  been  purchafed  before. 

In  1665,  Mifquamicut  was  purchafed  of  the 
Indians,  and  it  was  granted  a  Townfhip  by  the 
Name  of  iVefierly^  1669.  In  1672  Mamies  C2X'' 
]td  Block'  Jfiand^vj^s  made  a  Townfhip,  by  the 
Name  of  New- Sborebam.  In  1674  the  Inhabi- 
tants at  Petequamfcut  and  Parts  adjacent,  had 
their  Lands  incorporated,  a  Townfhip  by  the 
Name  of  Ktngfloti.  And  in  1677  the  Town  of 
Eaft'Greenwlcb  was  incorporated,  and  1678  C^- 
ttofiicut  Iflaad,  or  rather  ^lononoqtiot^  was  in- 
corporated a  Townfhip  by  the  Name  of  JameS" 
town.  In  1722,  the  Lands  properly  calledAT^r- 
raganfet^  were  divided  into  the  two  Townfhipsof 
Nortb  and  Soutb-Kingfton.  In  1729  the  whole 
Colony  was  divided  into  tbree  Counties^  for  the 
Eafe  of  the  Inhabitants.  And  1730  the  Town 
of  Providence  was  divided  into  the  four  STowns  of 
Provide  nee  ^  Sriiitbfield^  Gloc^fter^  and  Scitiiate' 
The  whole  Land  being  filled  with  Inhabitants, 
partly  by  the  coming  in  of  fome  few  from  other 
Plac'es,  but  chiefly  by  the  natural  Increafe  of  the 
firil  Seders.  *     In  the  forefaid  Year  1730,   there 


» 


*  In  1758  the  Town  of //^fy'?:>i^  is  divided,  and  the  eaftcrly 
Part  of  if,  erected  into  a  To.,  nfhip,  by  rhe  Nsme  of  Charles- 
^ozi^n,  which  nr.H'  bi;  to  r'lc  HQiiour  or  Kin^  Charles  the  II. 
who  granted  us,  Our  ^.rcknt  Charter, 

was 


ip  An  Hiftorical  Lifcourfe^  &c. 

was  by  the  King's  Order,  an  exadl  Account 
taken  of  the  Number  of  Souls  in  the  Colony,  f 
and  they  were  found  to  be  no  lefs,  than  SeveU" 
teen  'Tboufand  Nine  Hundred  and  Thirty  Five^  of 
which  no  more  than  Nine  Hundred  and  Eighty 
Five^  were  Indians^  and  One  i'houfand  Sis  Hun* 
dred  and  Furty  Eighty  Negroes.  So  that  the  En- 
gJiJh  in  all  were  Fifteen  Hboufand  Three  Hundred 
and  two. 

Some  of  the  principal  Perfons,  who  came  at 
firft  to  this  Ifland,  removed  again  in  a  littleTime, 
fome  to  Long  Ifland  for  larger  Accommodations, 
fome  to  Majfachufets  again,  where  three  *  of 
t-hofe  Families,  have  made  a  very  confiderable 
Figure,  ever  fince  to  this  Day.  A  confiderable 
Number  likewife,  removed  to  the  other  Towns 
in  this  Colony,  and  many  fetled  in  the  Parts  ad- 


f  The  laid  Account  was  taken  before  Providence  Townfliip  was 

divided.     The  whoIcAccoant  is  this, 

IVhiies.  Negroes.  Indians, 

Newport^                        5845  649  148 

,      Providence^                    3707  128  Si    - 

Port/mouth,                      645  1 00  70 

JVarivicky                       J  028  77  "5 

IVefitrJy,                         162.0  56  2  5  J* 

North  King f on,             3875  ^^5  ^5 

South  Kingjion,               965  $55  21  y 

Eajl  GreeniL'tch,            1149  40  54 

James'^o'xn,                  222  80  19 

New  Shoreham^             250  20  20 

15502  I^4S  5;S5 
*  Hutdhfon^  Dttmmer,  S^vagi, 

jacent. 


An  HifiortGal  Bifeourfe^  &c.  4t 

jacent,  that  are  within  the  Colony  of  Plymouth, 
Neverthelelli  in  1730  the  Inhabitants  of  ihe  zvbole 
JJJand  were  Frje  Tboufand  flur  Hutidrcd  and  Fifty 
Eighty  and  of  this  Town  Four  ^boiifand  fix  Hun* 
dred  and  Forty ^  who  are  no  doubt  by  this  Time 
increa fed  to  Five  ^houfand  Souls.  TheTrade  and 
Bufinefs  of  the  Town  at  the  fitfi-j  was  but  very 
little,  and  inconfiderable^  confifling  only  of  a  lit- 
tle Corn  and  Purk  and  ^ohacco^  fenC  to  Bofion^  for 
a  few  European  and  other  Goods,  they  could  no^ 
fubfill:  without,  and  all  at  the  Mercy  of  the  Tra* 
ders  there  too,  *  At  prefent  there  are  ab've  on6 
Hundred  Sail  of  VefTels  belonging  to  this  fowfi^ 
befhies  what  belong  to  the  reft  of  tie  Colony^ 
GOD  grant,  that  as  we  increafe  in  Numbers  and 
RicheSj  we  may  not  increafe  in  Sin  and  Wicked- 
nefs  j  but  that  we  may  rather  be  lead^  by  the 
divine  Goodnefs,  to  reform  whatever  may  have 
been  amifs  or  wanting  among  us. 

As  to  the  Form  of  Govermnent  we  have  pa  (Ted 
under,  it  mull  be  obferved,  the  GovernmefiC  has 


Perliaps  ic  may  be  agreabis  to  fome  Perlonj,  ro  oblervc,  ihaC 
aboat  1660,  and  many  Years  atter,  Prcv'tfion  Pay  was 
IQO  per  Cent,  htnt ?iih  Sterliiig  Money.  In  168:  the  Prices 
of  Goods  fcrt  to  pay  Taxes  in,  were.  Wool  8  d  pe-  Prund, 
Batter  4  d  Indian  Corn  \  s  6  d  per  Bufhel.  U  the  Tax 
was  paid  in  Money,  then  there  was  to  be  an  Allowance  or 
Aba-ement  of  one  fixrhParf,  and  that  perhaps  v  ill  nearly  give 
rhe  tnie  current  Piicc,  ot  thofe  Kinds  ol  Provifions,  at  that 
Tims. 


42  An  Hifiorical  Difcourfe^  5cc. 

been  always  more  or  lefs  demccratical.  Kx  the  fir  ft 
Incorporation  on  thelflandjihePeoplechofe  ajttdge 
to  do  Juftice  and  Judgment,  and  preferve  the 
publick  Peace  ,  and  towards  the  latterEnd  of  the 
Year,  on  the  fecond  Day  of  the  eleventh  Month, 
they  added  three  Gentlemen  as  y^jfijlants  to  him 
in  his  Office.  %  And  foon  after  appointed  all, 
to  take  the  Oath  of  Allegiance  to  the  King,  ac- 
cording to  the  Statute.  In  1640  they  voted, 
the  chief  Magiftrate  (hould  be  called  Governour^ 
the  next  Deputy  Governour^  and  four  Getitlemen 
cho/en  out  of  the  two  Towns,  JJJifiants  Their 
Names  were  IV.  Coddington  Governour,  IV.  Bren- 
ton  Deputy  Governour,  N.  Eafton^  J,  CoggefJoaU^ 
TV.  Htitchinfon^  J.  Porter^  Affiftants.  The  next 
Year  JR..  Harding^  was  in  Mr.  Eafion's  Place,  and 
Mr.  ^.  Baulfton  in  the  Room  of  Mr.  Hutcbinfon, 
C  who  perhaps  removed  )  and  the  next  Year  Mr. 
Eajion  was  chofen  Afliltant  again,  and  thofc  fis  * 
Gentlemen^  held  their  Offices,  'till  the  Patent  cf 
Incorporation, 

At  Providence^  all  new  Comers  prcmifed    "  to 
''  fubmit  themfelves  in  adive   or  paffive    Obe- 
dience,  to  all  fuch  Orders,    and   Agreements, 


cc 


:^  The  three  Elders  were  Nkbclas  Eafion,  John  Coggfjhall^    aiid 

If^iUinm  Erenton. 
"'  The  Six  Genrlcmen    were    IV,  Ccdd'mpton  Governour,    IV. 

Brehton  Dcpirv  Governour,  N.  Eofion^  J.CoggfJballj  lV> BauU 

(lon^  and  ^.   P^y/tr,  AfliPan:i. 

as 


An  Hifiorical  Bifcourfc^  &c.  43 

"  as  ihall  be  made  for  publick  Good  of  the  Body, 
"  in  an  orderly  way,  by  major  Confent  of  the 
"  Inhabitants,"4:  but  this  being  infufficient,27th 
Day  5th  Mo.  1640,  they  did  to  the  Number  of 
near  40  Perfons,  Comhne  in  a  Form  of  civil  Go- 
vernment, according  to  a  Model  drawn  up  by 
fome  of  themfelves,  as  moft  fuitable  to  promote 
Peace  and  Order  in  their  prefent  Circumftances ; 
which  however  left  them  in  a  very  feeble  Con- 
dition. 

But  all  the  Inhabitants  in  theNarragafifet-Bay, 
being  "Jiithout  a  Patent^  and  any  legal  Authority, 
1643  Mr.  R.  IViUiafns^vi^ni  to  England  as  Agtnt^ 
and  by  the  Help  and  Afliftance  of  6ir  H^f/r^F^;/^, 
jun.  obtained  of  the  Earl  of  IV ai wick  (appointed 
by  Parliament  Governour  &  Admiral  of  all  the 
Plantations)  andhisCouncil^  "  a  free  and  abfolute 
*'  Charter  of  civil  Incorporation,  by  the  Name 
*^  of  the  Inco'-poration  of  Providence  Plantatiofis 
"  in  the  llarraganfet-Bay  [in  New-England  '^'' 
impowring  them  ''  to  rule  themfelves,  and  fach 


±  The  firft  twelve  Perfons  who  came  to  Mr.  IVilUams^  and 
therefore  had,  by  verrne  cf  his  Conveyance,  Tome  Prerc- 
j^arive  wirh  him,  in  the  Divifion?  B'^:.  of  the  Land,  were 
JVilUam  Arriold^  '^o'hn  Gree}7e,  ^ohn  Thrc^tTioyton,  Thomas 
yam-s,  IVilUiXm  Harris ^  Tkcm.ii  Olney^  Richard  JVatermav^ 
Francii  IVffton,  Ezekiel  HolUman,  Robert  Cole,  Stukeky  IFffi- 
coaty  and  IViUiarn  CtrpenUr  Soon  afrer  came  to  them  G.yjd. 
Browne,  IVm.  Fairfield,  J.  IFarr/er,  E.  Angel,  f  IFwdfor,  R. 
Scott,  U^m,  ReiNolds,  H'm  JFirkef:deiJ,  Gregory  Dexter,  &C.&C. 
tsolt  ot  whofe  Names  remain  in  a  num.eroui  Pofteriry. 

H  2  ''as 


/^^  An  Jliftorical  Difconrfe^  &c. 

*^  as  fhould  inhabit  within  their  Bounds,  by  fuch 
^'  a  Form  of  civil  Government^  as  by  the  volun"- 
^'  tary  Agreement  of  all,  or  the  greater  Parr, 
^'  (hall  be  fou[)(i  moft  ferviceable,  in  their  Eftate 
*'  and  Condition  j  and  to  make  fuitable  Laws, 
'^  agreeable  to  the  Laws  of  Evgland^  fo  far  as 
^^  the  Nature  and  Conditution  of  the  Place  will 

^'  admit,  &c  '* It  was  dated  \*]th  o{  March ^ 

jp  h  Charles^  u  e.  1643,4.  but  it  don't  appear 
how  long  it  was,  before  Mr.  U^iHiains  brought  ic 
over.  It  is  not  to  be  wondred  at,  if  it  took  them 
feme  Time  to  agree  in  a  Method. 

In  1647  May  igth,  a  General  AiTembly  of  the 
province  (as  then  called)  eilablifhed  a  Body  of 
ro^ry  go'^d  and  whoUfome  Laws^  agreeable  to  the 
BfigliJIj  Statute  Bonk  ;  and  ereded  a  Form  of  civil 
Govsyfnnem  for  the  Adminiflration  of  the  Laws, 
and  the  making  fuch  other,  as  fiiould  be  found 
necelTary.  The  fupreme  Ptwcr  was  left  in  the  f 
Body  of  the  People,  afTcmbled  in  an  orderly 
way;  a  Court  (f  C'jmraiflo  tiers  ^  confifling  of  fix 
Ferfons,  chofen  by  each  of  the  four  Towns  of 
Providence^  Portfm-'dth^  Newport^  &  IVarwick^  had 
9  Leg'iflativs  Authority^  at  leall,  their  Adts  v/ere 
to  be  in  Force,  unlefs  repealed  within  a  limited 
Time,,  by  the  Vote  of  the  major  Part  of  theFrec- 
pien  of  £hc  Province,  to  be  colle^icd  at  their 
itipecliye  Town  Meet  i::;gp  sppoir^ted  for  d^atEr.d. 

A 


An  Hiftoricctl  Difcotirfe^  &c»  '45 

A  Frefidefit  ^  four  Jffiftants  were  chofen  year- 
\y^  to  be  Conleivators  ot  the  Peace,  with  all  civil 
Power,  and  by  a  fpeciai  Commiffion,  they  were 
Judges  of  the  Court  of  Tryals,  aflifted  by  the 
tivo  IVardens  or  Juiiices  of  the  particular  Town, 
ia  which  the  Court  fat  from  Time  to  Time. 

Every  Town  chcfe  a  Council  of  fi^  Perfons^  to 
manage  their  Town  Affairs,  and  their  Town 
Courr,   had  the  Tryai  of  fmall    Cafes,  but    with 

an  Appeal  to  the  Cam  of  tbePrefide}n^Ajfociates, 

'This  For-ra  of  Government  fubfiiled  till  1651, 
when  there  were  fome  Obilrudtions  to  it,  by  a 
Commiilton  granted  from  ths  Council  of  St  ate  ^  to 
the  principal  Inhabitant  of  the  Ifland,  to 
govern  the  Ifland,  with  a  Council  chofea 
by  the  People,  and  approved  by  himfelf  But 
thePeople  thinking  jr,  ''  aViolation  or  Incroach- 
mcnt  on  their  Liberties,  and  Purchafes,as  grant- 
ed and  fecured  by  Charter  "  ;  immediately  dif- 
patched  Mr.  R.  IViUiams  and  Mr.  J,  Clark  to 
England^  as  theirAgents,  and  they  eafily  procured 
an  Order  from  the  C  uncil  of  State^  to  vacate  or 
fufpend  the  CommifTion.  This  Order  is  dated  2d 
of  06lobcr  1652,  but  by  Reafon  of  fome  Mif- 
pnderllandings  between  the  four  Towns,  it  was  a 
Year  or  tv/o  before  they  returned  to  their  old 
f^^n^  which  then  laded  to  the  prefect  Charter. 

In 


4l  An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

In  1663  July  8.  Charles  2d.  granted  an  ample 
Chac teTjWhereby  the  Province  was  made  *'  a  Body 
*'  Corporate  and  Politick,  in  Fadl  &  Name,  by 
•^  the  Name  of  the  Governour  and  Company  of 
*'  tbeEngUjJ^CoJony  of  Rhode- I/land  and  Providence 
'*  Plantations  inNew- England  in  America. "  This 
Charter  we  enjoy  to  this  Day,  thro'  the  mer- 
ciful Providence  of  GOD.  And  as  every  one 
knows,  the  Form  of  Government  eflablifhed  in 
it,  I  need  fay  but  little  about  it.  The  Governour^ 
xht  Deputy  G ever nour^  and  ten  AJJijiants  chofen 
yearly  by  the  Freemen^  on  the  firft  Wedncfday  in 
May^  havethe  Adminiflration  of  the  Government 
in  their  Hands  ;  and  together  with  thirty  fix  De^ 
futiesy  :^  chofen  half  yearly  by  thefcveralTowns, 
make  up  the  General  Ajfemhly  j  which  is  the  higb» 
eft  Court  in  the  Colony^  and  cur  Legiflature  :  im- 
powred  to  makeLaws  as  to  them  fhali  feem  meet, 
for  the  Good  and  IVelfare  of  the  faid  Company-- 
'*  fo  as  fuchLaws  be  not  contrary  and  repugnant 
*^  untOjbut  as  near  as  may  he^agreahle  to  the  Laws 
**  of  England^  conftdering  the  Nature  ^ConftitutioH 
**  of  the  Place  and  People  there,'"" 


7'bis  Affemhly  meets  twice  a  Year  by  Charter^ 
on  EleaiooDay,  and  the  hiMf'ednefday  ffO^cher, 


^  Th<zTovnofCbarlrJIc<:i'r2  being   ereftcd  fince  this  wa«  pre- 
pared for  the  Prefs,  the  Number  oi  Depuiics  is  now    Thirty 

Etpbf. 


Ajt  Hiftofkal  Lifcourfey  &c.  4? 

fbefirft^  by  Law  is  held  at  Newport^  and  the  laft 
at  Providence  &  South- KingJIon  alicmsLicly,  The 
Governour  has  no  negative  Voice,  and  the  major 
Vote  of  the  whole  Aflembly  in  one  Houfe,  de- 
termines in  theChoice  of  civil  or  militaryOfficcrs, 
but  in  the  pafHng  Laws  the  Aflembly  fits  in  two 
Houfes. 

It  would  be  too  tedious,  to  give  a  particular 
Account  of  all  the  repeated  Attempts,  and  Stra- 
tagems made  ufe  of,  to  wrcft  the  Jurifdidtion  and 
Propriety  of  a  confiderable  Part  of  the  Lands 
within  our  Patent  from  the  Colony. 

Therefore  I  proceed  to  fay, 

When  Col.  Dudley  was  appointed  Prefident  o^ 
the  Majfachufetts^  the  Narragatifet  Country,  called 
then  King^s  Province^  was  included  in  his  Com- 
miflion.  In  1685  ohoher  6.  a  IVrit  of  ^10  IVar^ 
ranto^  was  iflued  out  againft  the  Colony^  which 
was  brought  here  June  2.6.  1686,  by  Ed.  Kan-- 
dolph,  Efq^  whereupon  the  Free  Inhabitants,  ef- 
pecially  of  the  chief  Towns,  met  at  Newport  oa 
the  29ch,  and  gave  in  their  Opinion  to  the  Gene- 
ral Aflembly,  and  left  "  the  further  Proceeding 
to  the  judicious  Determination  of  the  Aflembly," 
The  Aflembly  upon  ferious  Coniidcration,  pub- 
iifhed  and  declared,  that  they  determined,  not  to 
*'  Hand  Suit  with  His  Majefty^  hut  to  proceed^   hy 

hiivihle 


4'ft  An  Hifiorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

^'  bumlk  Addrefs  to  His  Majefty  to  continue  their 
*^  Privikdges  &  Liberties  accorditjg  to  tbs  Charter  -^ 
and  they  accordingly  fcnc  home  an  Addrels  to 
the  King^  who  by  his  Anfvver  promifed  them 
Protedion,  and  Favour.  However  the  Cohny 
was  put  under  theGovernment  of  Sir  Ed.Androfs^ 
and  "  fuffered  with  others,  feveral  Hardlhips^and 
feverc  Impofitions." 

-■:  The  Reafons  why  the  AfTembly  chofe  not  to 
Hand  Suit  with  the  King,  were  partly  "  tbeir  Po- 
^'  verty^  and  Inability  to  bear  theExpenceof  fuch 
*^  a  Law- Suit  in  Etigland^  and  partly  tbeE sample 
''  of  the  many  Corporations  in  Englajid^  which 
*'  had  in  the  likeCafe  furrendered  their  Charters/* 

*and  perhaps  the  fecretHope  they  (hould  find  more 
Favour  with  the  King,  by  this  way  of  Proceed- 
ing, was  the  principal  Motive. 

January  12.  1686,7.  Sir  Edmund  Androfs^^ 
Commiflion  to  be  Governour  of  this  Colony^with 
the  relt  of  New  England^  was  publifhed  here,  and 
the  Colony  made  one  County,  and  governed  by 
civil  Officers  under  him. 

After  the  Revolution  in  England^  there  was 
a  General  Aflembly  of  the  Freemen  of  the 
Colony  at  Newport^  May  i.  16S9,  who  agreed 
*'  that  fincc  Sir  Ed.  Androfs  was  felled  and  con- 
*'  fined  with  others  of  his  Council  C^tBojIon^  and 


An  tiiftorical  Lifcourfe^  &o'  4^ 

^^  his  Authority  filenced  and  depofed/it  wastheic 
*^  Duty,  to  lay  hold  of  their  former  Charter  Pri^ 
"uiledges  3  and  avowedly  profeffing  all  Aliegiancfi 
to  the  Crown  of  England^  they  replaced  all  thd 
general  Officers  that  had  been  difplaced  three 
Years  before.  But  feme  of  the  Gentlemen  after«s 
wards  declining  to  adl  by  this  Authority, a  gene- 
lal  AiTembly  called  February  20  followingjeleded 
others  in  their  Room.  And  there  having  been  no 
Judgment  againll  the  Chartefj  the  GovernrticnE 
allowed  of  the  refuming  it,  and  thro*  the  divine 
Goodnefs,  and  the  Clemency,  Juftice,  and  Pru-* 
dence  of  our  Princes,  it  has  been  continued  eveC 
fincc.  GOD  grant,  we  may  never  forfeit  noc 
Jofe  our  precious  and  invaluable  Liberties  and 
Priviledges  5  and  that  we  may  ever  ufe  them 
with  Prudence  and  Difcretion^  with  Gratitude  to 
GOD,  the  Governour  of  the  World  ^  and  with 
Loyalty  to  the  Crown  J 

It  is  now  more  than  Time  for  me  to  lay  before 
you^  fame  Account  of  our  religicus  Affairs. 

It  is  a  Pitty  we  cannot  intirely  confute  all  th$ 
cpprchrious  i'hings^  which  fome  have  written  of 
fome  of  the  Inhabitants.  I  am  fatisfied  a  great 
many  of  them  were  v;^holly  groundlefs,  many 
others  very  much  aggravated,  and  mifreprefen* 
ted,  and  fome  Things  made  to  be  Reproachca^^ 
which  m  Reality  were  Praife-^worthj? 

I  I 


50  ^n  Hifiorical  Lifcotirfe^  &c. 

I  take  it  to  have  been  no  Diflionour  to  the  Co- 
lony, that  Chriftians,  of  every  Denomination, 
were  fuffered  to  lead  quiet  and  peaceable  Lives, 
without  any  Fines,  or  Punifhments  for  their  fpe- 
culative  Opinions,  or  for  ufing  thofe  external 
Forms  of  Worlhip,  they  believed  GOD  had  ap- 
pointed, and  would  accept.  Bigots  may  call 
this  Confufion,  and  Diforder,  and  it  may  be  ^o^ 
according  to  their  poor  worldly  Notions  of  Re- 
ligion, and  the  Kingdom  of  Chrift.  But  the  pre- 
tended Order  of  humane  Authority,  affuming  the 
Place  and  Prerogatives  of  JefusChrift,  and  tram- 
pling on  the  Confciences  of  his  Subjects,  is,  as 
Mr.  R.  IVilliams  moft  juftly  calls  it,  "  monltrous 
"  Diforder." 

Tho'  it  be  very  certain,  that  a  publickWorfhip 
ofGOD,is  very  ncceflary  eventocivilizeMankind, 
who  would  be  likely  to  loofe  all  Senfe  of  Religi- 
on  without  it  ^  yet  it  will  not  follow,  that  the  ci- 
vil Magiftrate,^  as  fuch,  has  Authority  to  appoint 
the  Rites  of  Worfliip,  and  conftraiia  all  his  Sub- 
jeds  to  ufe  them,  much  lefs  to  punilh  them  for 
ufing  any  other.  What  has  been  forever  the 
Confequenccs,  of  his  pretending  to  fuch  Authori- 
ty, and  ufing  his  Power  to  fupport  it  ?  What 
Glory  doth  it  bring  to  GOD,  and  what  Good 
can  it  do  to  Men,  to  force  them  to  attend  a  Wor- 
lhip they  difapprove  ?  It  can  only  make  them 
•Jiypocrites.and  GOD  abhors  fuchWorfhippers. 

Not- 


An  Hijlorical  Bifcotirfe^  &c.  -ji 

Notwithftanding  our  Conllitution  left  every 
one  to  his  own  Liberty,  and  his  Confciencejand 
notwithftanding  the  Variety  of  Opinions  that 
vterc  entertained,  and  notwithftandingfome  may 
have  contraded,  too  great  an  Indifference  to  a- 
ny  focial  Worfhip,  yet  I  am  well  afTured,  there 
fcarcc  ever  was  a  Time,  the  hundred  Years  paft, 
in  which  there  was  not  a  weekly  publick  Wor- 
fhip  of  GOD,  attended  by  Chriftians,  on  this 
llland,  and  in  the  other  fifil  Towns  of  the  Colo- 
ny. 

It  isno  way^mnlikely,  fome  odd,  and  whimfi- 
cal  Opinions  may  have  been   broached,    the  Li- 
berty enjoyed  here,  would  tempt  Perfons  diftref- 
fed  for  their  Opinions  in  the  neighbouring    Go- 
vernments, to  retire  to  this  Colony  as  an   Afylum. 
It  is  no   ways  unlikely,  that   fome  Perfons  of  a 
very  different  Genius,  and  Spirit    from    the    firfl 
Setlers,  might  intrude  thcmfelves,    and  ufe    this 
Liberty  as  an  Occafion  to  the  Flefh  -,  but  the  firft 
Set  of  Men  who  came  here,  were  a  pious  Gene- 
ration, Men  of   Vertue  and  Godlincfs,    notwich- 
llanding    their  Tinflure    of  Enthufiafm,    which 
was  not  peculiar  to  them  j   and    notwithftanding 
their   peculiar  Opinions  of  Juftification,  and    the 
Nature,  and  Rights,   of  the    Chriftian     Church. 
They  had  not  fomany  great  and  wifeMen  among 
them,  perhaps,  as  were  in  fome  of  the  other  Co- 
lonies 5  but  their  whole  Number  was  very  fmal), 

I  2  in 


Jt  Jn  H'tftorical  Dlfccurfe^  &c. 

jn  Comparifon  with  the  other  Colorjies  :  Never^ 
thj&lefs  they  had  fome  very  confiderablc  Men, 
0nd  of  fuperiour  Merit.  It  is  true  Jikewife,  their 
Form  of  Government  was  too  feeble,  their  fir^ 
Patent  left  them  without  fufficient  Authority  in 
their  civil  Officers,  to  check  any  popular  Hu- 
rnours ;  but  yet,  they  did,  and  that  as  early  as  the 
J^L?Jfacbti/etts  Colony,  form  aBody  of  goodLaws, 
by  which  all  Vice,  and  every  Immorality,  was 
difcouraged  or  punifhed.  And  throughout  the 
whole  Hiflory  of  the  l/lafid  and  Colony^  there  is 
jnanifeilly,  an  Aim  and  Endeavour^  to  prevent 
or  fupprefsall  Diforders  and  Immoralities,  and  to 
promote  tsaiverfal  Peace,  Vertue,  Godlinefs,  and 
Charity. 

J  r'o  not  pretend  to  defend  all  the  Opinions, 
?:hat  were  entertained  by  any  of  them  j  much 
Jefa  all  the  extravagant  Notions,  that  were  un- 
juflly  afcribed  to  fome  of  them  j  nor  yet  to  juf- 
tify  every  Word,  or  Adion,  that  might  be  the 
Bffedt  of  heated  Zeal,  orraifed  Indignation  and 
Jtefentment.  That  Man,  who  will  go  about  to 
jqftify,  or  condemn  a  Party,  in  the  Grofs,  and 
without  Diftindlion,  fhall  never  be  approved  or 
Imitated  by  me,  much  ItU  can  it  be  expeded, 
I  ihould  defend  all  the  Opinions  of  ^o  many  dif- 
ferent religious  Parties^  as  were  here  united  in 
jcfvil  Peacfe.  Howcverj  I  dare  fay  it  after  Mr. 
f.CIart^ih^t    ^^  fiotwithft^nding    the    digereni: 

*"'  Confciencf3 


An  Hlfiorical  Lifcotirfe^  &c.  '  [(ff^^ 

^^  Confciences  and  Underftandings  among  them, 
' '  they  agreed  to  maintain  civiljuftice  and  Judg^ 
*^  mentSy  neither  were  there  fuch  Outrages  com- 
*'  mittcd  among  them,  as  in  other  Parts  of  the 
*'  Country  were  frequently  feen."  (  C/^r^'s  Nar 
Introd.')  And  I  bear  them  VVitnefs,  they  had  a 
Zeal  for  GOD  :  If  it  were  not  according  toKnow- 
Jedge  in  every  Article,  yet  they  lay  open  to  In- 
ftrudtion,  defirous  to  find  out  and  difcover  the 
whole  Mind  and  Will  of  GOD;  which  cannot 
fo  truly  befaid  of  all  Places,  where  yet  Men  are 
not  more  infallible.  If  there  were  any  of  them, 
who  made  Shipwrack  of  Faith  and  a  good  Con- 
fcience,  perhaps  it  would  be  as  eafy^ns  it  would  be 
invidious,  to  find  ParalJels  enough  in  other 
Places,  to  fhew  there  are  other  dangerous  Rocks, 
befides  Liberty  of  Confcience.  It  is  an  unac- 
countable Humour,  that  has  prevailed  among 
too  many  chriftian  St6(s^  to  make  Religion,  and 
the  Gofpel  confift,  in  their  own  peculiar  and  dif- 
tinguifhing  Tenets,  which  would  almoil  tempt 
an  impartial  Man,  to  think  it  ought  rather  to 
confift,  in  thofe  Things,  wherein  they  are  moft 
generally  agreed,  and  conclude  in  the  Words  of 
the  excellent  Dr.  Cotton  Mather^  "  The  Period 
Uaftens  for  a  new  Reformation^  wherein  'tis 
likely  none  Oi  our  veryhejl  Parties^  will  be  in 
all  Things,  the  Standard  of  what  fhall  prevail 
in  the  World,  but  our  holy  Lord  will  form  a 
l[  ne?/  People,  of  thofe  good  Men  that  fhall  u- 

"  nite 


S4-  ^f^  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

"  nite  in  the  Aticles  of  their  Goorlnefs,  and 
^'  fwcetly  bear  with  one  another  in  iheir  JcfTcr 
''  Differences."     (  Good  Men  united,  p.  26,  7.  ) 

It  nnuft  be  a  mean  contradedWay  of  thinking 
to  confine  the  Favour  of  GOD,  and    the    Power 
of  Godlinefs,  to  one  Set  of  fpeculative  Opinions,, 
or  any  particular    external    Forms   of   Worfhip. 
How  hard  muft  it  be,  to  imagine,  all  other  Chrif- 
tians,  but  our  felves,  mufl  be  formal,   and    hypo- 
critical, and  deflitute  of  the  Grace  of  GOD,  be- 
caufe  their  Education   or  Capacity  differs  from 
ours,  or  that  GOD    has  given  them  more  or  lefs 
Light  than  to  us,  tho'we  can't  deny,  they    give 
thQ  proper  Evidence,  of  their  fearing  GOD,    by 
their  working   Righteoufnefs  ,     and    fhew  their 
Love  to  him,  by  keeping   what  they  underhand, 
he  has  commanded  ,  and  tho'  theirFaith  /;;  Chriji 
JsfuSy  purifies  their  Hearts,  and  works  by  Love, 
and  overcomes  the  World.     It  would  be  hard  to 
fhew,  why  Liberty  of  Confciencc,   mutual    For- 
bearance, and  Good  Will,  why  brotherly  Kind- 
nefs  and  Charity ,is  not  as  good  a  Center  of  Uni- 
ty, as  a  conftrain'd  Uniformity  in    external    Ce- 
remonies, or  a  forced  Subfcription  to  ambiguous 
Articles.     Experience  has  dearly  convinced  the 
Woild,  that  Unanimity  in  Judgment  and  Affec- 
tion, can'c  be  fecurcd  by  penal  Laws.     Who  can 
tell,  why  the  Unity  of  the   Spirit  in  the  Bonds  of 
Peace,   is  not  enough  for  Chriftians  to  aim  at  ? 

And 


An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  ^5 

And  who  can  aflign  a  Reafon,  why  they  may 
not  Jove  one  another,  tho'  abounding  in  theic 
own  feveral  Senfes  ?  And  why,  if  they  live 
in  Peace,  the  GOD  of  Love  and  Peace,  may  not 
be   with  them  ? 

Indulgence  to  tender  Confcicnccs,  might  be  a 
Reproach  to  the  Colony,  an  hundred  Yeais  agon, 
but  a  better  Way  of  thinking  prevails  in  the  Pro- 
teflant  Part  of  the  chriftian  Church  at  prefent* 
It  is  now  a  Glory  to  the  Colony,  to  have  avowed 
fuch  Sentiments  fo  long  ago,  while  Blindnefs  in 
this  Article,  happened  in  other  Places,  and  to 
have  led  the  Way  as  an  Example  to  others,  and 
to  have  firll  put  the  Theory  into  Praftice. 

Liberty  of  Confcience,  is  more  fully  eftablifh- 
ed  and  enjoyed  now,  in  the  other  New- Engl ijl;f 
Colonies  ^  and  cur  Mctber-Kingdom,  grants  a  le- 
gal Toleration,  to  all  peaceable  and  confcientious 
DifTenters  from  the  parliamentary  Eftablifhment. 
Greater  Light  breaking  into  the  World,  and  tho 
Church,  and  efpecially,  all  Parties  by  Turns,  ex- 
periencing, and  complaining  aloud  of  the  Hard- 
fhips  of  Conftraint,  they  are  come  to  allow  as 
reafonable  to  all  others,  what  they  want  and 
challenge  for  themfelves.  And  there  is  no  orher 
Bottom  but  this  to  reil  upon,  to  leave  others  the 
Liberty  we  fhould  defire  ourfelves,  the  Liberty 
wherewith  Chrift  hath  made  them  free.     This  is 

doing 


S6     •         An  Hijiorical  D'lfcourfe^  &c. 

doing  as  we  would  be  done  by,  the  grand  Ku\€ 
of  Juftice  and  Equity -this  is  leaving  theGovern* 
ment  of  the  Church  to  Jefus  Chrirt,  the  King  and 
Head  over  all  Things,  and  fuffering  his  Subjedls 
to  obey  and  ferve  him. 

But  to  take  Things  in  their  Order, Mr.  K.lViU 
Jiams  IS  iVi(]^  in  a  few  Years  after  his  fetling  at 
ProvidetJce^  to  have  embraced  the  Opinions  of 
the  People  called  (  by  Way  of  Reproach  )  Ana^ 
lapttfts^  in  Refpe^  to  the  Suhje5i  and  Mode  of  Bap-^ 
tifni  j  and  to  have  formed  a  Church  there,  in  that 
Way,.with  theHelp  o(  oneMr.Ezekiel  HoIIiman^  * 
and  that  after  a  while  he  renounced  thefe  Opini- 
ons likewife,  and  turned  Seeker,  (i.  e. )  to  wait 
for  new  Apoflles,  to  reflorc  Chriftianity.  He 
believed  the  Chrillian  Religion,  to  have  been 
fo  corrupted  and  disfigured  in  what  he  called  the 
*'  Apojlacy^  as  that  there  was  no  Miniflry  of  an 
ordinary  Vocation  left  in  the  Church,    but  Pro* 


Since  this  was  rranfcribed  for  the  Prefs,  I  find  fome  Reafonj 
tofufped,  that  Mr.  IVilliams  did  nor  form  a  Church  of  the 
j4n^bi7pti(if^  and  that  he  never  join'd  with  the  B apt'tfi  Church 
there  Only,  that  he  allowed  rhem  to  be  neareft  the  Scrip- 
ture Rule,  and  true  primitive  Practice,  as  to  the  Mode  and 
Suhjea  of  Ba-pfifm.  But  that  he  himfelf  waited  for  new  A- 
poftles,  ^c.  Tne  moft  ancient  Inhabitants  now  alive,  fome 
of  them  above  eighty  Yeats  old,  who  perfonally  knew  Mr. 
Wliliami^  and  were  well  acquainted  wi'^h  many  of  the  ori- 
ginal Serlers,  never  heard  that  Mr.  WWUams  formed  the 
Bapiift  Church  there,  but  always  underftood  that  Mr. BrcivvF, 
Mr.  If  icket3(fen  or  IVigi^icn,  Mr.  Dexter y  Mr.^Olr^cy,  Mr. 
7iI!i?3gfMft,  QPc.  v.ere  thefi:ft  Fcunders  of  ihac  Church, 


A»  Hiftorical  DifcQiirfe^  &cJ  57 

phcy^^''  and  that  there  was  need  of  a  fpecial 
Commiflion,  to  reitore  the  Modes  of  politive 
Worfhip,  according  to  the  original  Infliculion. 
It  don'c  appear  to  me,  that  he  had  any  Doabe 
of  the  true  Mode,  and  proper  Subjedls  of  Bap- 
tifm, bur, that  noMan  had  anyAuthority, to  revive 
the  Pradice,  of  the  facred  Ordinances,  without 
a  new  and  immediate  Commiflion.  It  is  alfo 
faid  QNeale.^  "  That  his  Church  hereupoa 
*'  crumbled  to  Peices,  every  one  following  his 
*^  own  Fancy,  and  the  Worfhip  of  GOD  came 
"  to  be  generally  negledted."  But  I  believe  this 
to  be  a  Miftake  in  Fadt,  for  it  certainly  appears^ 
there  was  a  fiourKhingChurch  of  the  Baptills  there, 
a  few  Years  after  the  Time  of  the  fuppofed 
breaking  to  Pieces  ;  and  'tis  known  by  theNames 
of  the  Members,  as  well  as  by  Tradition,  they 
were  fome  of  the  firlt  Setlersat  Providence  j  how- 
ever,'tis  pofiible  fome  of  his  Followers,  might 
embrace  his  «fiy  Opinions.  Mr.  IVilliams  uCedto 
uphold  a  publick  Woifhip,  fometimes,  tho'  not 
weekly, as  many  now  alive  remember, and  he  ufed 
to  go  once  a  Month,  for  many  Years, to  Mt,SmitF$ 
ui  the  Narraganfety  for  the  fame  End. 

There  was  no  Reafon,  to  lay  afide  the  Ufe  of 
the  facred  Infiitutions  of  Jefus  Cbrift^  becaufe 
they  had  been  perverted^  for  furely  the  Difciple3 
of  Jefiis  Cbrift^  muft  of  Neceffity  have  an  inhe- 
renr  Righr,  to  revive,  or  rectify,  any  of  his  Or- 
K  dinances 


58  An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

dinances  that  have  been  mifufed.  The  Protef' 
tants  in  general  have  done  Tojby  both  Sacraments^ 
which  they  have  all  of  them  refcued  from  fome 
or  other  o( the  Corruptions  cf  Popery.  And  why 
they  may  not  be  as  well  refcued  from  every  Cor^ 
ruption^  as  from  fome,  and  why  Chiiftians  may 
not  revive  the  true  Form  of  adminiflring  Bap- 
tifm,  as  well  as  the  Supper,  is  hard  to  tell,  unlefs 
we  make  a  Charm  of  the  Inftitution.  So  long  as 
we  have  the  New-Teftament,  wherein  the  origin 
fial  CommiJJion  and  Injlru^ions  are  contained^  we 
can  want  no  immediate  Warrant,  to  obey  the  ge- 
neral Laws  of  CbrtJ}^  any  more  than  a  new  Re- 
velation, and  new  Miracles,  to  juflify  our  belie- 
ving the  old  Fads  and  Doctrines  of  the  GofpeL 
The  Bible  contains  the  Religion  of  Chrillians, 
and  the  Word  of  GOD  is  a  fufficicnt  Rule  of 
Faith  and  Worfhip.  Had  Mr.  li^illiams  adhered 
to  this  Maxim,  the  Maxim  of  the  Pr^r^j*?^/?^!,  and 
more  efpecially  of  the  Puritans,  he  might  have 
continued  an  Anahaptift  z\\  his  Days,  as  *cis  faid 
he  was  more  inclinable  to  them,  in  his  latter 
Time. 

Bifhop  Sander fon  fays,  (J^eneer  on  the  thirty  nine 
Articles,  p.  6^5-^  That  "  the  Rev.  Arch- R-fhop 
*^  ^/hitgfft^;iiiu\  the  learned //^'^^e?r.  Men  of  great 
''  Judgment,  and  famous  in  their  Timet?,  did 
''  long  fuice  forefee,  and  declare  their  Fear,  that 
**  if  ever  Puritanifm  fliould  prevail  among  us,   it 

"  would 


All  Hi fl  or  teal  Difcourfe^  <?iC.  5^ 

^^  would  foon  draw   in  .^nabaptifm  after    it, ---• 
*'  This  Cartwrightdindiht  Difciplhiarians den'icc]^ 

'^  and  were  offended  at. But  thefegoodMen 

*^  judged  right,  they  confidered  only  as  prudent 
"  Men,  that  Anabaptifm  had  it's  Rife,  from  the 
*^  fame  Principles  the  PurJtatJs  held,  and  it's 
*'  Growth  from  the  fame  Courfe,  they  tork  ;  to- 
*^  gether  with  the  natural  Tendency,  of  their 
''  Principles  and  Pradices  toward  it  j  efpecially 
*^  that  ONE  Principle,  as  it  was  then  by 
*^  them  mifunderltood,  that  the  Scripture  was  a- 
''  dequata  agendorum  regula^  fo  as  nothing  might 
'^  be  lawfully  done,  without  exprefs  Warrant, 
'^  either  from  feme  Command  or  Example  therein 
^*  contained  j  which  Clue,  if  followed  as  far  as 
*^  it  would  go,  would  certainly  in  Time  carry 
^'  them  as  far  as  the  Anabaptifis  had  then  gone." 

This  I  beg  Leave  to  look  on  as  a  moft  glotious 
ConcefHon,  of  the  moft  able  Adverfaries.  One 
Party  contend,  that  the  Scripture  is  the  adequate 
Rule  of  Worfhip,  and  for  the  necefCty  of  Tome 
Command  or  Example  there  ;  the  other  Party, 
fay  this  leads  to  Anabaptifm.  It  feems  very  re- 
markable, that  the  Puritans^  at  leafl  fome  of  the 
Puritans,  put  the  Baptifm  of  Infants^  and  the  ad-- 
miniftritig  Baptifm  by  Sprinkling^  on  a  different 
Foot  from  many  of  the  other  Party.  It  was  one 
grand  Reafon  of  the  Piymoutb  People's  Difcon- 
tent  in  Holland  that  the  Dutch  would  not  reform 
K  2  the 


6o  'An  Hifiorkal  Lifccurfe^  &c 

the  Cuflom  of  baptifing  indifferenily,   the   Chil- 
dren of  all  Perfons  that  had  been  ihemfelves  bap- 
tifed  in  Infancy.     And  ic  was  once  a  great  Com- 
plaint, againlt  New  Engtand^    that    the  Children 
only  of  vifibie  Church  Members,  were  admitted 
to  Baptifm,     Nor  did  the  general  Way  of  bapti- 
fing the  Grand-Children  of  the  Covenant,  orthe 
Infants  of  fuch  as  do^  what  is  called  (^owning  the 
Ccvenanf)  (^a  Pbrafe  and  Way  peculiar  perhaps  to 
New  England'^')  take  Place,  without  a  very  great 
and  long  Struggle  :  perhaps  it  don't  yet  univer- 
fally  prevail.     When  the  firitPrinciplcs,&Pra6lice 
of  New  England  are  inquired  into,  and  compared 
together,   and  with   thofe    that    prevailed    forty 
Years  after  j  it  will  be  found  no  great  wonder,if 
a  Perfon  (and  there  have  been  fuchPerfons)  who 
heard  the    unanfwerable  Argument,  with  which 
fome  PadO'baptifis  prove  the  Infants  of  thofe  who 
are  not  Members  of  fome  vifible  Church,  are  not 
10  be  baptifed  ;  and  the  like  powerfulArguments, 
with  which  others,  prove  that  other  Infants  have 
an  equal  Right  and  Claim  with    the    Infants    of 
Church  Members  ;  I  fay,    it   would  be  no  won- 
der^  if  fuch  a  Perfon   (hould  believe  them  both, 
and  conclude  in  the  W^ords  of  the  late  excellent 
Dr.  C  Matter  on  a  like  Occafion,  "  that  R  e  g  e- 
N  E  R  A  T  I  p  N  /i  ?/J?(?  Things  without  which^    a  'Title 
unto  Sacraments^  is  not  to  be  pretended      That  real 
Regeneration,  is  that  which  before  GOD, renders 
Men  capable  of  claiming  Sacraments  ;  and  vifi- 

bls 


An  HiJIorical  Blfcourfe^  &c.  €l 

b!e  or  c^jpreffed  Regeneration,  is  that  which  be- 
fore Men,  enables  them  to  make  fuch  a  Claim  '*. 
QCo7/?p.  f(^r  Co  mm.  p.  31.) 

But  to  return,  about  the  Year  1653  ^r545there 

was  a  Divifion  in  the  Baptift  Churchy  at  Providence^ 
about  the  Kite  (yf  laying  on  of  Hands^  which  fome 
pleaded  for  as  effentially  neceffary  to  Church- 
Communion,  and  the  others  would  leave  indiffe- 
rent. Hereupon  they  walked  in  two  Churches, 
one  under  Mr.  C  Browne^  Mr,  IVickenden^  &c. 
the  other  under  Mr.  ^bomas  Olney  •  *  but  laying 
on  of  Hands  at  length  generally  obtained. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  the  Principles  of  a  too 
rigid  Separation^  planted  by  Mr.  IVilUams^  have 
taken  a  deep  Root,  while  feme  other  of  his  dar- 
ling Opinions  are  almoft  withered  away.  That 
Church  which  was  diflinguifh'd  by  holding  laying 
en  pf  Handsy  nGceffdvy  to  all  baptized  Perfons, 
came  in  Time,  generally  to  hold  univer/al  Re- 
demption. 

This  Church  (hot  out  into  divers  Branches,  as 
the  Members  increafed,  and  the  Diilance  of  their 
Habitations  made  it  inconvenient  to  attend  the 
publick  Worfhip  in  the  Town  ^  feveral  Meetings 


*  Thi,^  lail  conrinued  'ti'i  abour    20   Years  {ince,  when    be- 
jj.*  coming  deflirure  of  an    Elder,    rhe   Members  were  unired 
'     wirh  orher  Churches.     At  prefcac  there  is  fome  Profped  of 
their  Re  eftabliihmenr  in  Church  Order. 

were 


6i  An  Hiftorical  Difccurfe^  &c. 

were  thereupon  fixed  at  different'PIaces,  for  their 
Eafe  and  Accommodation  ;  and  about  this  Time 
the  Jarge  Townfhip  oi  Providence  btcam^  divided 
into  four  ^owns  :  theii  Chapels  of  Eafe ^  began  to 
be  confidered  as  diftindl  Churches,  tho'  all  are 
yet  in  a  Union  of  Councils  and  Interefls :  And 
there  is  a  llridl  Aflbciation,  of  all  the  Baptilt 
Churches  in  New  England^  that  hold  theDodrine 
oi  laying  on  of  Hands ^  in  that  Senfe^  maintained, 
by  yearly  Meetings  of  the  Elders  and  Brethren, 
at  feveral  Places,  from  time  to  time,  where  the 
Affairs  of  all  the  Churches  are  confidered. 

The  People  who  came  to  Rhode-  I/land^  who 
were  Puritans  of  the  highert  Form,  had  defired 
and  depended  on  theAfTiftanceof  Mr./r/^tf(?/z£;r/^i7f, 
a  famousCongregational  Minifter  aforementioned. 
But  he  chofe  to  go  to  Long- I/land^  where  he 
continued  fome  Years.  In  the  mean  Time  Mr. 
Jchn  Clark^  who  was  a  Man  of  Letters,  carried 
on  a  publick  Worlhip  (as  Mr.  Brewfter  did  at 
Plymouth^  at  the  firfl:  coming,  till  they  procured 
Mr.  Lenthal  of  li^eymcutb^  who  was  admitted  a 
Freeman  here  Ai-tguft  6.  1640.  And  Auguji  20, 
Mr.  Lenthal^  was  by  Vote  called  to  keep  a  publick 
School  for  the  learning  of  Youth,  and  for  hisEn- 
couragement  there  was  granted  to  him  and  his 
Heirs  one  hundred  Acres  of  Land,  and  four  more 
for  an  Houfe-Lot  ;  it  was  alfo  voted,  "  ihat  one 
''  biifidred  Acres  (hould  be  laid  forth,  and  appro- 

'^  priated 


An  Hiflorical  Difcoiirfe^  &c.  63' 

*'  priated  for  a  School^  for  encouragement  of  the 
*'  poorer  Sort,  to  train  up  their  Youth  inLearn- 
"  ing,  and  Mx.  Robert  Leritbal  whWc  he  continues 
''  to  teach  School,  is  to  have  theBenefit  thereof." 
B'u  thisGentleman  did  not  tarry  here  very  long  : 
I  find  him  gone  to  England  the  next  Year  but 
one  ;  but  there  is  noReafon  to  think  thatPerfons 
of  their  Zeal,  fhould  immediately  fall  into  a  to- 
tal negled:  of  a  focial  VVorfhip.  One  of  their 
fi>^  Cares  both  at  Portfmoutb  and  at  Newport  was 
to  build  a  Meeting  Hu/e^  which  I  fuppofe  was  de- 
figned  for  publick  Worfhip. 

It  is  faid,  that  in  1644,  Mr.  Jobn  Clark^  and 
fome  others,  formed  aChurchjOn  the  Scheme  and 
"Pdnaplcs  of  tbe  Baptifis,  It  is  certain  that  in 
1648  there  were  fifreen  Members  in  full  Commu- 
nion i.  And  it  is  this  Church,  of  which  we  are 
by  divine  Providence,  the  SucceiTors,  iho'  with 
fome  little  Variation  in  the  Points,  which  their 
Adverfaries  had  objeded  to  them,  in  the  other 
Colony.  And  thus  all  the  Churches  of  Chriil  in 
New  England  have  meliorated  their  Opinions,and 
ways  of  rpeakJng  of  fomePoints,  fince  thatAge  of 
Difpute, Contention  and  Temptation.  However, 
I   hive  g^od  Realbn  to  thi  ,k,    the  fift  Founders 


±  fhc  NiiDcs  -fthe  Males  v.  ere  foln  Clark,  M.irk  Lukar^ 
Withanacl  IVeJl,  IFm  ValjAti,  Thom.is  Q.ok,  Jcfr.h  Chyk, 
■Jv'Ti  Pr^kJjamf  John  'IlcrndQn,  lVt:ii.wi  iVecdev^  c»nd  S.w.ud 
IJ  nhbrtrd, 

of 


64  ^fi'  Hiftorical  Difcourfc^  &c. 

oF  rhisChurch  would  have  heartily  joined  in  thas 
Explanation,  which  was  accepted  from  Mr.  Cot" 
ton^  by  the  Synod^  and  which  is  laid  "  to  make 
an  happy  Conclufion  of  the  whole  Matter/*  and 
I  fuppofe  every  one  of  the  prefent  Members, 
would  readily  fubfcribe  it,  viz.  "  That  we  are 
"  not  married  to  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  withoui; 
*'  Faith,  giving  an  adual  Confent  of  the  Soul  tq 
"  it.  That  effedual  Calling,  and  the  Soul's  ap- 
''  prehending  by  Faith,  is  in  the  order  of  Na- 
*'  ture,  before  God's  A6t  of  Jullification  on  the 
"  Soul  5  and  that  in  the  Teftimony  of  the  Holy 
*'  SpiritjWhich  is  the  Evidence  of  our  goodEllate 
'^  before  God,  the  Qualifications  of  inherent 
*'  Graces,  and  the  Fruits  thceof,  proving  the 
*^  fincerity  of  our  Faith, muft  ever  be  co-exiflent, 
^'  concurrent,  and  co-apparent,  or  eJfe  the  con- 
*'  ceived  Teftimony  of  the  Spirit,  is  either  a  De- 
"  lufion  or  Doubtful  ?  "  (^Mn^tiaL  B.^  P.17.) 
In  this  Church  there  were  feveral  Perfons,  able 
to  fpeak  to  the  Edification  of  the  reft  ;  and  I 
have  been  informed  by  fraditioti^  that  the  great- 
eft  Part  of  the  Inhabitants,  ufed  to  attend  this 
Worfhip,  tho'  the  Members  in  Church  Fellowfiiip 
were  always  but  few. 

In  1652  (during  Mr.  Clark's  Abfence  in  -E/;^- 
land)  feme  of  the  Brethren,  embraced  the  Opi- 
nion oi  Layi}!^  on  cf  Hatids^  as  necelTary  to  all 
baptiJed  Perlbns^  and  in  the  Year  1654  cr  1656, 

ihc 


An  Hijlorical  Difcotirfe^  &c  6$ 

the  Opinion  it  was  neccffary  to  Chuxch  Commu-^ 
nion  and  Fellowfhip,  together  with  iheii  Opinions 
of  the  Dodrines  of  Grace  and  Free- Will,  occa- 
fioned  feme  of  them  to  feper ate ^and  form  a  Church 
by  themfelves,  under  the  Leading  of  Mr.  If^m* 
Vahan  •  this  Church  continues  to  this  Day, 
and  is  numerous  ;  at  prefcnt  under  the  pafloral 
Care  of  Mefli.  D.  IVightman  and  11,  Eyres* 

In  1656  or  1657,  fome  of  the  People  called 
^takers ^  came  to  this  Colony  and  Jjland  •  and  be- 
ing peiTecuted  and  abufed  in  the  other  Colonies^ 
that,  together  with  the  Opinions  and  Circumftan- 
ces  of  the  People  here,  gave  them  a  very  large 
Harveft  ;  many,  and  fomc  oi  the  Baptifi  Cburcb^ 
embraced  theirDodlrines  and  particularOpinions, 
to  which  many  oi  their  Pojierity^  and  others,  fliU 
adhere. 

About  1665,  a  Number  of  the  Members  of 
the  Church  under  Mr.7.C/^r^,removed  to  the  new 
Plantation  at  l^^'efterly^^mon^  v/homMr.JohnCran^ 
dal  was  a  Preacher  and  Elder.  They  afterwards 
did  generally  embrace  the  Seventh-Day.  Sahbath^ 
and  their  SucccfTus  are  now  a  very  large  and foU" 
riJJjing  Chunb^  w.der  the  paftoral  Care  of  Mefli, 
^.  and  G.  Mexon^  and  Mr.  William  Hi/dx. 

In  1671,  fome  of  the  Members  of  Mr.  ClarJCs 
Churchy  who  had  been  in  the  Obfervation  of  th^ 

L  Stventb' 


66  uin  Hijlorical  Bifcourfe^  &g. 

Seventh  Bay  Sahhath^  for  fome  Years,  tho't  it 
proper  and  neceffary  to  draw  off  by  themfelves  ; 
and  they  eredted  a  Church,  under  the  Leading 
of  Mr.  William  Hifcos.  'Tis  under  the  Roof  of 
their  SuccefTors  we  are  now  aflembled.  *  Mr. 
J,  Grandaly  Elder  of  this  Church,  died  the  12th 
of  Sept.  1737. 

In  1695,  feveral  Minifters  of  the  MajfachufettS" 
Colony^came  and  preached  here  to  fome  who  had 
defired  it.  The  next  Year  there  was  a  Meetings 
Houfe  ere6led^  in  which  the  publick  Worfhip  of 
GOD,  was  maintained  by  the  Rev.  Mr.Natbanael 
Clap.  In  1 720  there  was  a  Church  in  the  congre^ 
gational  Scheme  gathered,  and  he  was  ordained 
the  Paflor,  and  is  flilJ  alive,  labouring  in  the 
Word  and  Dodtrine.  In  1728  there  was  ano- 
ther Chuich,  foimed  out  of  this  ^  the  prefent 
Pallor  the  Rev.  Mr.  James  Searing. 

About  1706,  the  Worfhip  of  GOD,  according 
to  the  Kites  of  the  Church  of  England^  was  began 
to  be  fet  up  here,  by  the  Society  for  propagating  the 
Go/pel  in  f  reign  Parts.  Mr.  Lockyer  was  the 
firft  Miffionary^  fucceeded  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
James  Honyman^^t  prefent  the  mofl  ancient  Mif^a^ 
nary  of  the  Church  of  England  in  all  America. 


*  W'Tiieour  Ctiurch  is  creating  a  new  and  more  convenient 
Meeting  Houfe,  we  arc  kindly  favour,:d  wich  the  Ulc  o^  thif, 
belonging  to  the  Sabbatarian  Church. 

So 


An  Hifiorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  ^7 

So  that  there  are  at  this  Time,  feven  worfiip^ 
ping  AJfemhlies^  Churches  or  Societies,  in  this 
S'own^  befides  a  large  one  of  the  People  called 
^lakers^  at  Fortfmoutb^  the  other  Part  of  the 
Ifland. 

I  am  not  able,  to  affign  the  exadl  Date,  whea 
every  Church,  or  Meeting  began,  oreveryMcet- 
ing  Houfe  was  built,  in  all  the  feveral  Towns  of 
the  Colony.  But  there  are  now  in  the  other 
eleven  i'owns  no  lefs  thary  twenty  five  difiin^f  So^ 
defies  or  worfhipping  AfTemblies  of  Chriflians  ; 
befides  feveral  Places  where  there  are  occafional 
Meetings,  in  fome  Part  of  the  Year,  or  at  certain 
Seafons,  as  is  the  Cuftom  in  the  other  Colonies, 
among  the  new  or  fcattered  Settlements. 

There  are  in  the  nine  Towns  on  the  main  Land 
eight  Churches  of  the  People  called  Baptijis^  one 
^n  every  Town,  except  Greenwich^  where  there  is 
however  a  Meeting  Houfe  in  which  there  is  a 
Meeting  once  a  Month.  * 

Of  the  People  called  fakers  there  are  feven 
Meeting  Houfes  on  the  main  Land,    and    one  at 


*  The  Names  of  the  Eiders  of  thefe  Churches  are,  a^ PraVfde?ice 
M-  ^Windfor,  &  ^ho.  Burlingham  ;  ar  SmithfieJd  Mr.  Jofias 
Cocke;  ac  Sciiuate  Mr  S.Fisk;  at  Glcce/Jer  Mr  Ed.  MtcLel ;  zz 
Warwick  Mr  ManaJJeh  Adartyn  and  Mr.  Francis  Bates;  ac 
N.  Kingfion  Mr.  K.  Swett  and  Mr.5.  Herrivgton  ;  atS.Kingpn 
Mtv  Daniel  Everit. 

L  2  James* 


6t  'An  Hifiorhal  Vifcourfe^  &c. 

James'^own  on  Conankut  Jfland  •  and  a  conftant 
Meeting  at  Ifejierly^  tho'  no  Meeting  Houfe  yec 
ereded* 

There  are  four  epifeopal  Churches  en  the  Main^ 
one  at  Providence^  to  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  John 
CheckJey  is  appointed,  and  one  at  Norths  Kingflon^ 
of  which  the  Rev.  James  Mc^Sparran^  D.  D. 
is  the  prefent  Redor  5  befides  one  at  M'efierly^ 
and  one  on  theEdge  ofT^'lj^rw/V^,  adjoining  toEaft* 
Greenwich^  which  are  occafionaliy  fupply'd  by 
the  Miflionaries  at  other  Towns. 

There  are  three  Freshyterian  or  Congregational 
Churches^titProvidence^Sctitb'Kingfionj&i  IVefterly  j 
each  of  rhem  fupplied  at  prefent  with  a  Pallor, 
*viz.  the  Rev.  Mr.Jof.ab  Cotton^  axFrovidence  -,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Jo/epb  Torrey^  at  South-  King fton  ,  and 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Jofepb  Park^  at  IVefterly.  And  at 
New-  Sboreham  or  Bhck-I/land^thcve  is  a  Meiting^ 
Houfe^  which  is  at  prefent  fupplied  with  a  Prea- 
cher. 

Thus,  notwithflanding  all  the  Liberty,  and 
Indulgence  here  allowed,  and  notwithftanding 
the  Inhabitants  have  been  reprefented,  as   Jiving 

without  a  puhlick  Wcvjloip^  and  as  ungcfpehzed 
Plantatins  -,  we  fee  there  \sfume  Form  of  Godli- 
mfs  every  'where  maintained.  GOD  grant  the 
Power  m^y  p.lw^ys  accompany  the  Forrn,  and 
that  9I!  that  Name  the  Name  of  OmJ^  n\zy    de- 

p.ut 


An  Hiflorkal  Blfcourfc^  &c.  t^ 

part  from  Iniquity  •  may  Chrift  Jefus\N2^km  the 
midft  of  his  golden  Candiefticks,  and  hold  the 
Scars  in  his  right  Hand  ^  and  may  he  heal  all 
Divifions  among  his  Difciplcs,  may  he  unite  the 
Hearts  of  all  that  love  Him^to  love  one  another  j 
may  he  grant  them  to  be  all  like  minded,  and 
may  pure  Religion,  and  undefiJed,  before  GOD, 
and  the  Father,  thrive  and  flourifh  among  us  1 

It  remains  now  that  I  fay  a  few  Words  rela- 
ting to  the  State  of  the  INDIANS,  within  the 
Bounds  of  this  Colony,  and  the  Citcamltances  of 
the  Englifh  in  Regard  to  them. 

In  general,  all  the  New-EngVtJJj  Colonies^  were 
at  the  fiid  but  one  Intereit,  in  Relation  to  the 
Indians,  and  tho'  the  other  four,  called  them- 
felves  the  united  Ci^Ionies^  there  was  a  Comm'fiiorv 
from  this  Colony  to  Mr.  iVtlHams  and  Mr.  Clark^ 
^o  enter  into  a  League  offcTjfive  and  defenfive 
with  them. 

A  few  Years,  three  or  four,  before  the  EnghJIo 
;cameto  Plymouth^  the  Indians  had  been  dread- 
fully walked  away  by  devouring  Sicknefs,  from 
Narrdganfet  to  Pen^hfcut.  So  that  the  Living 
fufficed  not  to  bury  the  Dead,  and  the  Ground 
was  covered  with  their  Bones  in  many  Plaices. 
This  wonderfully  made  Room  for  the  EngliJJ:  at 
Plymoutb  and  MaffichufePts^  and  thofe  Colonies 
prgteded  the  reft. 

In 


^i  ^n  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

In  the  Year  1637,  the  EngUfi  with  united 
Forces  fubdued  the  Pequots,  who  had  attacked 
their  Brethren  in  Conne£iicut  ;  the  Narragatjfetts^ 
who  bordered  on  the  Pequot*s  Land,  confcnted 
and  aflifled  in  their  Deftrudtion,  thro'  a  Defire 
of  Revenge,  which  is  remarkable  in  all  the  Sa- 
vages, tho'  their  old  Sachems  defired  to  have 
preferved  Peace. 

The  Nantygganfiks^  or  Nanaganpits^  inhabited 
the  Lands,  or  governed  over  all  ihelridians  within 
the  Bounds  of  this  Colony.  They  were  a  nume- 
rous, a  rich,  and  powerful  People  :  and  though 
they  are  by  feme  faid,  to  have  been  lefs  fierce, 
and  warlike  than  the  Pequots^  yet  it  appears  they 
had  lately  before  the  Etiglijh  came,  not  only  in- 
creafed  their  Numbers,  by  receiving  many  who 
had  fled  to  them,  from  the  devouring  SicknefsjOr 
Plague  in  the  other  Parts  of  the  Land  ;  but  they 
had  enlarged  their  Territories,  and  that  both  on 
the  Eaftern  &  Weflern  Boundaries.  They  were 
reckoned  j^'-j^  yi?^///'^^  J  fighting  Men.  (^Mfs.ofMr, 
R.  IV.  in  Evidence:)  And  Mr, IVil/iams  faySjthey 
were  fo  populous,  that  a  Traveller  would  meet 
with  a  dozen  Indian  2'owns  in  twenty  Miles, 

In  the  midft  of  this  mighty,  and  haughty  Peo- 
ple, the  little  handful  of  helplefs  jB*//^///??,  ventur'd 
to  fit  down  i   tho*  not  without  taking  all  polTible 

Precautions  ^  on  the  one  Hand,  to  give  them  no 

jull 


An  Hiftorical  Lifcourfe^  &c.  ^jt 

juft  Offence,  and  on  the  other  Hand,  to  keep 
thcmfelvcs  in  the  beft  Pofture  of  Defence  their 
Circumitances  would  admit  of  ButtheConqueft 
and  utter  Deitrudion  of  the  Pequots^  had  for  the 
prefent  endeared  Englifh-Men  to  the  Narragan^ 
fets.  And  the  Condud:  and  Valour  they  had 
fhewn,  and  the  wonderful  Succefs  of  their  Ex- 
pedition, had  made  them  a  Terror  to  all  the 
Indian  Nations  round  about. 

Mr.  IViUiams  at  fir  ft  "  made  a  League  of  pea- 
ceable Neighbourhood,  with  all  the  Sachems  and 
Natives  round  about  "i  in  this  Rhode- Jjland  was 
included.  And  on  the  7th  of  JuJy  1640,  Mr. 
Coddtngton^  with  tba  reft  of  bis  Afiftants^  had  a 
particular  Treaty  of  Peace  and  Amity  with  My^ 
autonomy  and  the  reft  of  the  Sachems,  Neverthe- 
Jefs,  the  next  Year,  there  was  a  Mifunderftand- 
Jng,  and  fome  Hoftilities,  occafioncd,  I  think,  by 
fome  of  the  Indians^  (\( not  Myantonomy  himfelf) 
kindling  Fire  in  Mr.  Eaftori's  Land,  Lord's  Day 
April  4.  1641.  whereby  an  Houfe  cf  bis  was  burnt. 
But  whether  it  was  defignedly,  or  only  through 
carelefsnefs,  don't  plainly  appear  in  the  Records, 
However  it  alarmed  the  People, and  among  other 
Mcafures,  they  ficted  out  an  armed  Boat,  to  ply 
round  the  Jjland^  to  keep  off  the  Indians  from 
Landing  ;  and  it  feems  in  fome  Scuffle  on  that 
.Account,  two  Englifto  Men  were  wounded^  undone 
Indian /lain  j  tho'the  Orders  to  the  Soldiers  were 

as 


>]2  An  Uiftofkal  Difcourfe^  &c. 

as  mild  and  prudent  as  could  be  given.  They 
Jikewife  appointed  Garrtfon  Hotifes^  to  which  the 
People  were  to  repair  on  an  Alarm.  Among 
which  1  find  one  was  Mr.  Lentbal's  the  Minifler. 
But  the  Rupture  lafled  not  long,  before  Peace 
was  reftored. 

In  1643  Myantonoiny  the  great  Sachem  of  the 
Narraganjets^  was  taken  Prifoner  by  Uncas  Sa- 
chem of  the  Moheags^  and  fome  time  after  Slain, 
and  as  fome  of  the  Etiglijh  fay,  after  Quarter  and 
Promife  of  Life  given.  This  excited  his  Siibjeds 
to  revenge  his  Death,  but  the  Terror  of  the 
Enghjlo  at  theMeJfacbu/stts  kept  them  quiet.  And 
fo  'tis  faid,  that  iQven  Years  after,  there  were 
fome  Commotions  llilled,  by  the  fame  Terror 
likewife  in  1653,  &c.  &c. 

In  1652  when  the  Council  of  State  confirmed 
their  Patent,  the  People  were  put  on  fome  En- 
terprifes  againfl  the  Dutch  at  New-Tor k^  01  Nrji'- 
Netberhfids^  and  the  next  Year  the  Jjlatid  fent 
fome  Men  to  the  AHiflance  of  their  Country- 
Men,  fettled  at  Lojig-Jfland^  which  gave  great 
Offence  to  the  ^oi^ns  en  the  Main^  and  in  the 
tis}0  Dutch  IVars^  in  King  Charles  2.d^s  Time,  the, 
C&Io;iy  ^  Jjland  were  put  to  confiderable  Expence 
and  Trouble,  to  put  and  keep   theinfelves  in  2l 

Pcilufe  of  Defenceo 

la 


An  HifljYtcal  Diftourfe^  &c,  73 

In  1675  Pbii'p^  K'tJgof  the  U^ampaneags^htg^n 
a  War  agaiufl  Plymouth  C  lo?iy  in  June^  which 
loon  i'p^c^d  alm^^it  throughout  all  New- England, 
^raditiun  fays,  4:  "  He  was  forced  on  by  theFury 
of  his  young  Men,  fore  againlt  bis  own  Juo'gmenC 
and  Inclination  -,  and  that  tho'  he  forefaw,  and 
foretold  the  EvghJJj  would  in  Time  by  their  In- 
dullry,  root  out  all  the  Indians^  yet  he  was  a- 
gainft  making  War  with  them,  as  what  he  tho'c 
would  only  hurry  on^and  increafe  theDellru6tioa 
of  his  People  :"  and  the  Event  proved  he  judged 
right.  The  Pc'wau's  had  foretold  Philip^no  Et:g^ 
UJJj  Man  f,j  iild  ever  kill  him^  which  accordingly 
proved  true  ^  he  was  fhot  dead  by  fn  Indian.  * 

M  Wbea 


4:  A  I!  the  Kiftories  from  Mr  Hubbard  ^.udDr  AJather,  make 
Philip  w  be  rhe  Spiing  and  Mover  of  rhe  War  ;  but  rhcre 
is  3  conlianr  Tradiiion  among  the  Polleriry  of  the  People, 
ivlo  Itvcd  next  to  hlm^  and  vv're  famiUavly  Ciwverf7/7t  with 
him,  as  alto  with  :he  Indians  vs  ho  furv\yed  the  War,  thac 
both  Pkilip,  and  his  chfef  old  Men,  were  urterlv  aveife  to 
rhe  War,  and  they  fliew  the  Spot  {Kik?muit  Sprir.g,  in  a 
Farm  bclongin;^  ut  Stfphen  Poir,e  Elq;  in  Brijlol)  where 
P^?///» received  the  News  of  the  fift  £"?.;^/y^  Men  that  were 
killed,  wiih  Gfiet  -rnd  Scr'-ow,  and  turpi  at  the  Seivs  ;  and 
that  a  Div  cr  two  before  rhe  Fiiil  O  sfrages.  he  had  pro- 
tected an  E'^pijT)  Man  the  Tn^i.^n-;  hid  cap  i-'3fed,  rcfctied 
Iiim  from  them,  and  priv.n'>ly  fer.t  h'-m  home  fife    •— . 

*  1  have  heard  from  '•'opr^z  old  People^  u  ho  were  tami'ia^fV  -c- 
quiintcd  wih  the  Indi.'j.K,  both  before  and  af'cr  the  War, 
that  the  Poiva^s  had  likev^ife  gi'-'n  out  ?.n  o'^h^r  nmhi?tH> us 
OacU.  -.vhich  did  verv  mi'ch  f -iri-  on  rhe  Indiana  ro  Wic 
ar  firft,  and  afterwards  as  ranch  difcouraqt-d  them.  -viz. 
tJj,it  they  promijcd  (he  IrJ'uws  ivould  h?  fti:crfif'uly  if  thf  En^hjb 
fif(dtbeji-ji  Gun.    it   ii  c::rtuia  the    iMians  long  deluded, 

and 


74  -^^  Hijiorical  Lifccurfe^  &c. 

When  Philip  could  no  longer  refift  the  Impor- 
tunity of  his  Warriours,  he,  like  a  wife  Man, 
took  the  moll  proper  Meafures,  to  make  theic 
Enterprize  efFedual,  efpecially  by  an  early  En- 
deavour, to  perfwade  the  other  Indian  Nations 
into  the  War,  that  with  united  Forces,  they 
might  fall  on  the  EnglijJo  every  where  at  once  ; 
and  particularly  he  endeavoured  to  perfwade  the 
Narraganfets,  who  had  feveral  Pretenfions  to 
quarrel  with  the  EngJilJj^  and  who  were  then  re- 


and  delignedly  avoided  firing  on  the  En^J'/h^  and  fecm'd  to 
ufe  all  poflible  Means,  to  provoke   the  Engltjh   to  fre  firfi^ 
by  rifling  their  Houfes,  abufing  their  Carclc,  ihreatning  and 
infaiting  their  Perfons  &c.     And  the  Hiftories  carry  it,  that 
an  Englifli  Man  fired  the  firft  Gun,    at  Afetapoi/et   GaYrifon^ 
fome  Days  before  any  EvgVJb  were  {lain.     But  thofe  ancient 
People,  fince  dead,  told  me,  that  by  a  Miftake,   occafioned 
thro*  the  Hurry    and  Trepidation,    which    ulually    attends 
the  beginning  of  any  confiderable  Enrcrprife,  an  Indian  fired 
ihefrjl  Guny  (whether  on  Poc/rjfet  Side    where  there  was  a 
Skirmifh  at  the  beginning  of  the  PP'^ar^  that  is  nor    mentioned 
by  Mr.  Hubbard  6tc    I  cannot  now  fay  j  and  that  the  New$ 
of  this, when  known  among  the  lndianSyV,'^s  a  fatal  Wound  to 
their  Courage,  they  faying  the  Engljjj  AJan*s  GOD  Would  77o'W 
fubdue  them,  which  contributed  not  a  little  to  their  after  Dc" 
ftrudion      This  I  always  looked  on,  as    a  very   remarkable 
Paflage,  but  the  Authors  before  mentioned,  and    Col,  Ckurchf 
vho  had  by  far,  the  bcfl  Means  to  be  informed,  in  all  Cir- 
cumftances,  relating  to  the  Beginning  and    Progrels    of  the 
War,  in  this  Part  of  [he  Country,  being  wholly  filcrt  about 
it  ;   and  the  few  ancient  People  who  are  now  alive,  that  were 
Actors  in  the  War,  not  retaining  any  perfect    Tradition   of 
the  Miitrcr,  the  Reader  may  entertain  th. Story  as  he  pleafes^, 
1  dare  not  warrant  tlie  Truth  ofi',  bit  only  that   I  certainly 
heard  the  Story  from  fome  i.ncicnc  People  of  Swanzfy,  fines 
deccafed. 

puted 


An  Hiftorkal  Dlfcourfe^  &c.  175 

puted/<?«r*  ^boufand  ^  fighting  Men.  But  whe- 
ther the  War  began  too  foon  for  theni,  or  the 
firll  Beginnings  difcour^iged  them,  or  that  they 
did  not  intend  to  make  War  at  all ;  they  renew- 
ed their  League  of  Peace  and  War  with  the  uni- 


4:  ^1t.  Hubbard  fays,  Page  15.  **  The  N.trhaganfets  promifcd 
"  to  rife  with  four  Thou/and  in  the  Spring  ot  chsYear  i6~6" 
and  in  a  Poftfcript  fays,  *'  Concerning  the  Narhaganfets^ 
"  this  is  further  to  be  added  here,  that  [sir.  Thomas  Stanton 
**  and  his  Son  Robert ^  who  have  a  long  Time  lived  amongft 
**  fhem,andsre  beft  acquain'ed  with  theirLanguags  &  Man- 
**  nersofanyin  New- England y^o  affirm, that  to  their  Know- 
**  ledge,  the  Narhaganft Sachems y  before  the  late  Troibles, 
"  badtzuo  T/^^f/pTZfl/ fighting  Men  under  rhem,  and  ?7i77^//««- 
"  dred  Arms.  "  Thele  Accounts  are  perhaps  bcth  true,  For 
the  firft,  might  mean  to  contain,  <?//  the  Indinns'in  the  Bounds 
of  this  Colony  who  being  under  theAuthori:y  ot  the  great 
Narhr.ganfet  S^uh^m,  were  often  called  by  this  generalNamci 
and  were  perhaps  fcur  ^houfwd  fighiing  Men.  Mr.  Slanton 
might  mean,  only  rho(e  prcpprly  or  precifely  called  Narra- 
^^w/e/ /»^/rtr3/,  in  Difiinftion  from  the  Indians  at  Providersce 
and  the  Indians  at  IVnrivicky  v.  ho  joined  in  the  War  under 
Pomham,  &c.  and  from  the  Nybantick  Indians,  under  Kinigrct 
who  did  not  join  in  the  War;  tho'  ihefe  were  always,  and 
to  this  Day,  arc  frequently  included  in  the  genera!  Name  of 
Narhagnfjfet  Indhw.  What  Teems  ro  confirm  this  is  what 
Mr.  Hubbard  adds,  viz-  "  Yet  are  they  fo  brolccn  and  fcar- 
«*  tered  at  fhis  Day,  that  there  is  none  of  them  left  on  this 
"  Side  theCountry,unlefs  lome  Few, not  exceeding  fevcMyin 
**  Number,  that  have  flieltercd  themfelves  under  the  Inha- 
"  hhd.'Ms  oi  Rhode  IJl and,  as  a  Merchant  o(  that  Place,  v/cr- 
•*  thy  of  Credi',  larely  affirmed  to  theWrirer  hereof"  Thofe 
fheltcred  at  the  Ifland  were  either  Prifoners  oF  War,  or 
fuch  as  had  volun'arily  fjrrendred  themfelves  to  the  Englijb 
tor  Proredion,  on  Promife  of  Life.  But  *ti»  well  known, 
that  N'tnigret^  Men  alone,  valfly  exceeded  that  Number; 
beiides  there  were  divers  Prifoners  at  Providence.  And  that 
Side  of  the  Country,  was  much  fuller  of  Indians,  in  the 
Memory  of  very  muny  now  alive. 

M  2  ui 


76  ^n  Hifiorkal  Bifcourfe^  &c. 

ted  Oil  nies^  in  Ju^y^   a  Month  after    Philip    had 
began  Holtiiities  at  Swanzey. 

However  when  he  was  driven  out  of  hisCoun- 
try,  they  were  charged  to  have  received, and  en- 
tertained hi^ People.  Whereupon  the  unttedCloJo^ 
flies  lent  an  Army  of  a  thoufand  Min^  under  J(f. 
JVtfiJl  w.^  Efqi  He  arrived  with  ihtMojfachufetts 
and  Plymouth  Forces y  the  12th  of  Deccnihcr^  at 
JMc^j  )r  Smith's  in  Nortb-Khigllcn  •  on  the  iS^h 
the  Cnnetlicut  Men  being  arrived,  the  Aimy 
marched  the  next  Day  near  18  Miles  to  a  Sort  of 
a  Fort,  (  \(^tb  of  Hubh.  )  which  the  Indians  had 
railed  on  an  Jflind  of  Upland,  in  the  midfl  of  a 
nioit  hideous  Swamp.  Their  Indtan  Guide  lead 
them  to  the  only  Place  where  it  could  be  attack- 
ed, the  Englijh  fell  on  with  too  much  Courage 
andEsgernefs,  which  proved  fata)  to  {oraQ  of  their 
valiant  Captarns.  However  their  Vidlory  was 
coTipleat;  the  Fort  wr.s  t^ken,  and  'tis  iV\d  fcven 
Ilunurcd  fightifigiMen^^^;/'"/  twenty  chiefC^iptains  of 
the  Enemy  were  flain  that  Day,  befidcs  Women 
arxiLhildren,  and  tbrecHundred  raore  died  of  their 
\Vou!)ds  afterwards,  btfidcs  the  V2l^  Numbers 
who  pe.ifncd  thro' Cold  and  Hanger.  The  Lofs 
to  the  Lnghjh  was  of  about  agbty  liUn  ,  fi>c  dip- 
tiiins  fliiiij  and  one  Hundred  and  Fifty  Men  "jL^Gun- 
^/i?:/,  nviny  of  theni  by  their  own  Friends.  To- 
ivards  Ni^h-j  ti^cy  kc  Fire  to  the  Fcif;  ar^d  re- 
treated 


An  Hijiorlcal  Lifcourfe^  &c.  77 

tre-ated  to  their  Head  Quarters,  thro'  the  Cold 
and  Snow.  Some  cbo'c,  if  they  had  kept  Pof- 
feflion  of  the  Fort,  where  was  the  Indian  Provi- 
fions,  they  might  have  faved  many  of  their  own 
wounded  Men,  and  that  the  Indians  muft  all 
have  perifhed,  thro'  Cold  and  Hunger,  or  fur- 
rcndred  at  Difcretion  the  next  Morning.  Others 
tho'c  it  a  merciful  Providence,  they  retreated  fo 
joon,  notwithftanding  the  Fatigue  of  fuch  a  Re- 
treat. E'Jt  however  that  be,  which  can't  fo  well 
be  judged  of  now,  i  the  wounded  and  ftarving 


Mr  Fluhhavd  reprefer.ts  rhc  burning  the  Fort  as  ncceflary  to 
dillodt^e  the  I.ididns,  and  after  rhar  the  Rerreac  muft  be  alio 
necelLiry.  However  he  men  ions  their  Want  of  Pro*if]cns, 
by  xMeans  of  their  VcOVi's  being  frozen  in  ar  Cai}e  Cod.  He 
fays  there  was  a  grear  Q^.mriry  of  Proviilons  bnrncd  in  the 
jour  or  fiJc  Hundred  IP  'giVixms  in  the  Fort,  And  he  lev  era! 
Times  la. iien's  the  Milery  cfrhe  wounded  Mfn,  in  marching 
n<^r  eightcpn  WlW^s  tiiro*  the  Gold  and  Sio.v  that  Night, 
before  their  Wo'jnds  could  be  drcOrd.  Q-2i  Col.  Church, 
vho  uas  prefent  and  wounded  in  [he  Adlion,  tells  us,  he  ve- 
hcmentJv  oppofed  the  fifing  the  Fo>t.  That  the  General 
w^is  firp.-ized  inro  ir,  and  he  condemns  it  as  a  vcrv  impra- 
dc^u  and  unfortunate  Condu6i:.  He  *a\s,  *  The  Forr  was 
<■?!  of  Corn  and  other  P^cilions,  r  fficient  to  fnpporr  the 
v.iiole  Army  'liil  th:  Spring,  and  there  uas  no  other  Provi- 
lions  to  be  depended  on  ;  there  was  good  warm  Lodging  foe 
tbe  wo'inded  Men,  nor  eife^vhc^c  to  be  hnd.'  He  fypports 
c/eryone  acQ;:ainrcd  with  the  Circumrr;mces  of  that  ISighr's 
March,  deeply  lii"e:"'t5  ihc  P^liiery  o''  the  who'e  Army,  ef- 
pcciallv  of  the  wounded  arid  d\ing  Men.  He  -.dds,  '  That 
it  mercifully  came  to  pal^,  tn?.r  Capt.  Jndvfiv  Bfkher  arrived 
fiia^  very  Night  at  Mr.  Smi/L'i  from  Bofton  \  iojden  wMi 
Pro.'ififMis  for  the  Army,  who  m\^^  cflrriiif?  have  prt'/brdfcr 
jyant.  (  Curcb  p.  i5,  17.  )  Tradition  is  on  :l)e  lane  Side, 
5;-.d  luppofes  had  the  Avnn  kept  PofiTflion  of  the  Fort,  k 
■         "  '  VYur. 


^2  An  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

Indians^  in  their  Retreat,  returned,  put  out  their 
Fires,  and  fheltred  themfelves,  and  found  fome 
Refrefhment  among  the  Aihes  of  the  beft  and 
firongelt  Fortification  the  Indians  v/cte  ever  Maf- 
ters  of  in  this  Country.  This  was  the  greateft 
ASiion  ever  performed  by  the  New-EngUjh  CjIo* 
fiies^  againft  the  Indians  ^  if  we  regard  either  the 
Numbers  of  Men  on  each  fide,  or  the  Confequences 
of  the  A5iion.  Befide  that  the  Indians  had  now 
theUfc  of  Guns,as  well  as  they  ;  and  were  as  ex- 
pert in  the  Ufe  of  them, as  anyMen  in  the  World. 
The  Indians  were  foon  purfued  with  Fajnine  and 
Sicknefs^  fo  that  afrer  they  fubmitted  the  next 
Year,  they  were  never  formidable  again.  Thefe 
Narraganfets-^  do  now  in  a  Manner  ceafe  to  be  a 
People,  the  few,  if  any,  remaining  in  iht  Colony^ 
being  either  fcattered  about  where  the  Englijh 
will  employ  them,  or  (heltred  under  iheSuccelTors 
of  Ninegret^  a  Sacbem  that  refufed  to  join  in  the 
War,  and  fo  has  preferved  his  Lands  to  his  Pof- 
terity  ;  and  there  are  a  few  Indians  now  living 
round  him,  on  his  Lands,  or  belonging  to  his 
Tribe. 

As  to  the  Part  this  Colony  bad  in  that  War, 
jt  mud  be  obferved,  that  tho'  the  Colony  was  not 
as  they  ought  to  have  been  confulted,  yet  they 
not  only  afforded  Shelter  and  Protedion  to  the 
flying  Engiifij^  who  deferted  in  many  of  the 
ijeighbouri-g    PlantarioDS,   in    Plymoutb  CJnyy 

and 


An  Hifiorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  79 

and  were  received  kindly  by  the  Inhabitants,  and 
relieved,  and  allowed  to  plant  the  nest  Tear  on 
their  Commons,  for  their  Support  >  but  they 
jikewife  furnifhed  fome  of  the  Forces  withProvi- 
fions  and  Tranfports :  and  fome  of  their  principal 
Gentlemen,  as  Major  Sanford^  and  Capt.  Gotil^ 
difJgj  were  in  the  Ad  ion  at  Mount  H-pe^  as  Vo- 
Juntiers  in  Capt.  Churches  Company,  when  King 
Pbilfp  was  flain.  t  The  Indians  never  landed  on 
the  I/lafid^  in  the  War  Time,  armed  Boats  being 
kept  plying  round,  to  break  their  Canoes,  and 
prevent  their  making  any  Attempts.  But  our 
Settlements  on  the  Main  fufFered  very  much, both 
at  Petequamfcut^  and  at  IVavjoick^  and  at  Provi^ 
dence-^  where  the  Indians  bmnt  a\\  the  ungani/on'd 
and  deferted  Houfes.  And  thelnhabitants  made 
heavy  Complaints,  that  when  the  Army  of  the 
united  Colonies  returned  home,  they  did  not  leave 
a  fufricien:  Number  of  Forces  to  protedt  our 
Plantations,  which  were  now,  in  a  very  peculiar 


In  ih t  Chr.y's  Ar^fwer  to  the  K'wg's  Letter  I^'p,  enq-iiring 
the  Value  of  A-joitr.t  Hope  Necky  p.hich  vas  begged  of  the 
King,  by  Johriy  Crowne  the    Por/,  they  fay,   that  '  a  Rhode- 

*  ijland  In.uan,  under  a  Khode  IJlarJ.  CaptaWy  a  Vduntkry  with 

*  ^  Plyn:cutb  C.7f tain,  kiWc^  Km^  Plilip'  Kis  Name  was 
Aldermrni^^nd  Col  Church  fays  h^  deferred  rhc  Year  beforf, 
from  An-.Jbonks  Sq-iav^-  Sachem  of  P oc .^^Jfet ,  znd.  came  over  ro 
Rhode- IJl^ind  w'vM  hi'.  Farriily,  ard  gave  good  Jnreiligence  ro 
the  EnQljh  at  that  Time,  which  v. as  i^i  i(ppro.cd  or  ne- 
gkacd. 

Manner, 


8ft  An  Hijlorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

Manner,  expofed  to  anexafperatedand  defperate 
Enemy.  * 


*  I  know  this  wasatrcmprcd  lo  be  excufed,  by  the  Agents  of  a 
neighbouring  Colony,  bcfcre  the  King  ;  and  they  had  the 
Face  to   aiTcrt,    ihnt  *  the  Colcny    vculd  never    yci!d    any 

*  joint  Affiftance  ?gainR  rhe  comn'on  Enemy,  no  not  fo  mucli 

*  as  in  their  own  Tovuis,  on  ihe  Main,  nor   gairifon   their 

*  own  Towns  of  Pycv;VYt7;te  and  IViirivicky   and  fo   that    the 

*  Blame  ought  to  lie  on  this  Governmenr,   if  rhey  fuHcrcd 

*  Spoyle,  while  the  Army  was  parfning  the  routed  Enemy.* 
But  the  printed  Hiflories  crnfuie  thi*;  AniV.er  in  Parr,  the 
PrcxinVwfg  Company  under  Q<i\n  A7idrciv  Edmonds y  wasvcr'/ 
helpful,  and  fuccelbful  tco  ijgainrt  the  common  Enemy,  and 
that  e\'en  out  of  cur  oun  CounGS.  (  See  Huhbard\^2rT2Ln\'Q 
cf  theTroubies  with  ihe  Indisns,  p.  2S.  )  (  See  alfo  Col. 
Q^/rc^'s  Hifiory.  )  J  could  gi-e  leverai  Reafcns,  why  rhe 
Colcny  did  not  ^.H  r)icr(jo''r/tly,^v\d  why  it  ought  not  to  be 
charged  to  their  Fault,  that  'hey  did,  nor.  But  perhaps 
'twould  be  no  Service  to  any  Body  now  to  mention  them. 
However  I  muft  fay  ;  it  was  noi  cv.ing  only  to  the  religious 
Principles  of  the  Gentlemen  then  at  the  Head  of  our  Admi- 
nilirarion.  'Tis  tJue  the  Gox'^jt^w/*' and  the  Dcpu'y  Gcvcrr.our 
that  Year,  were  both  of  the  People  called  ^iakevSy  but 
there  are  military  Ccmn  iiricns  Oiil  in  Being  urder  their 
Hands  and  Seals,  to  Mr.  B.  Arnold^  jun.  and  ochers  ro  go  in 
an  armed  Sloop  to  vifir  ihtG^n^fcns  at  'Provide?.ce^  6cc.  It 
\vas  but  reafonabie  the  united  Colonies,  fliouM  have  left  a 
ln0icicnt  Guard,  at  lea0,  at  their  own  Head  ^■art-rs^  and 
Ibmeoiher  PJace>,  while  the  J/lr:?:dy  the  only  P-'-rr  of  the  Co- 
lony able  to  contribmeto  the  Charge  of  the  Wars,  was  at 
lb  great  an  Expence,  in  fupponing  and  defending  the  dif- 
treffed  Effglljh,  who  fled  to  them  from  all  the  adjaccnrParts. 
Cn  account  of  thefc  and  feme  other  like  Afperfions,  the 
iof  emen.icned  Deputy  Governour,  in  order  that  1  hings  niighc 
not  beotherwife  relented  againfl  us  than  they  wetc,  gave  an 
Affidavit  or  Evidence  on  fckmnEngagement,  that  '  he  never 

*  was  againft    giving    forth   any  CommilTions    to  any,    that 

*  might  have  been  for  tlic  Security  of  the  King's  Inrereft  ifi 

*  thi:.Colony.*  This  with  fcnKCommiflions  adually  fJgned  by 
him,  iv  among  a  large  Number  of  ancient  Ajnr.tifiv'ps  in  the 
Pcfl-.flk'n  of  the  honourable //^////.rw  Cc.'fn'>/'£/(?»,  Etn; 

A9 


An  Hijlorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  St 

As  King  Fbilip  had  bo  fortified  Places,  and  no 
Magdzines,  wheii  the  foreign  Succour  and  Affif- 
tance,  which  he  depen'^ed  upon, failed  him,  when 
the  Narr^gat2fcts  were  in  his  own  Condition,  and 
the  Mohawks  refufed  to  affiil  him,  his  People  loll 
all  Hope,  and  Courage,  and  Conduit ,  being 
beaten  off  from  their  Planting  and  Fifbi»g, 
and  purfued  by  Famine  and  Sicknefs,  and  divers 
Parties  of  the  £'/?^//y^,  who  had  their  Courage 
raifed  in  Proportion,  as  the  other  Side  were  dif- 
couraged,  they  were  forced  to  furrender  almoft 
at  Difcretion,  and  beg  Peace  on  any  Terms. 
Philip  himfelf  being  flain,  and  mod  of  the  chief 
Captains,  the  VVar  wholly  ccafed,  in  this  Part  of 
the  Country,  and  with  thofe  Nations  who  fi  ft 
began  the  War. 

Ever  fiQce  that  Peace,  this  Colony  has  had  little 
or  nothing  to  do  with  the  other  Indian  IVars^ 
but  only  to  afTift  the^^^^r  C  /  «/^5,  when  properly 
confulted  and  applied  to.  The  04  ny  bore  it's 
Part  chearfully  \\\  the  feveralExpeclivions  agsinll 
the  French  at  Port-K  yal^  and  Canada.  And  di^ 
vine  Providence  remarkahly  fucceeded  and  fmiled  en 
the  Defence  and  Pnteufton  </  our  Sea-Coafts^  which 
were  very  much  expoled  all  the  tw^^  hng  French 
Wars, 

The  nerfiTirv  D^^fenrc  of  the  Inhabitants,  v-^-^s 
never  r!eg!e(^ed  in  the  Time  of  War,   and  fmce 

N  the 


S2  Afi  HiJloYtcal  Difccurfc^  See- 

the Peace,  the  Colony,  tho'  fo  fmall  as  it  is,hath 
rebuilt  an  handfome  Fort  on  an  Jfland  that  com- 
mands the  Harbour  of  Newport^  and  1733  fur- 
nifhed  it  with  a  Number  of  fine  Giins^  at  their 
own  Expence.  Befides,  the  Colony  always  keeps 
a  certain  Number  of  fmaller  Carriage  Guns  and 
fmall  Arms  J  with  all  Necejfaries  and  y^ppurtenances 
in  good  Order,  ready  to  put  on  Board  one  or 
more  VefTels,  as  Occafion  may  require,  on  the 
very  firft  Notice  of  any  Enemy  on  the  Coafts. 
And  tho'  a  large  Proportion  of  the  Inhabitants, 
are  not  free  in  their  Confciences  to  learn  IVar^ 
yet  the  Military  Exercifes,  arc  kept  up  as  in  o- 
ther  Places,  and  the  Succefs,  which  formerly 
attended  the  Enterprifes  of  our  Forces, will,  while 
the  Memory  thereof  remains,  keep  up  a  military 
Spirit,    in  the  Body  of  the  People. 

The  Narraganfets^  as  I  obrerved5were  the  mcft 
populous  Nation  among  the  Indians,  but  all  At- 
tempts toCivilize  orChrillianize  them  were  utter- 
ly inefF::dual.  Thtw Sachems  would  not  fuiFer  the 
Gofpel  to  be  preached  to  their  Subje<$ts, and  their 
Subjedls  obftinatcly  adhered  to  theTraditions  and 
Culloms  of  their  Fore- Fathers.  It  feems  hard 
th Sit  Nerj  England  fhould  be  complain'd  of  and 
reproached  as  particularly  negligent  of  the  Con- 
verfion  of  the  Indians,  and  harder  ilill  we  fhould 
be  reproached  f  r  ne^le^ing  the  Methods  ufed  hy 
the  French  to  make  Prolelytes  of  their  Indians, 

and 


ylfi  Hijlorical  Difcotirfs^  &c.  83 

and  mod  unhappy  that  fuch  Complaints, are  made 
by  IVrtters  that  Teem  otberwife  ijoell  acquainted ivitb 
Flat2tation/lffairs^2Lnd  aredefervcdJy  of  greatNote 
andCharadter.  It  is  happy  however  thefe  Reproa- 
ches are  not  wellgrcutjded.  NewEnglan  0,0  ay 
the  Majfachufetts  and  Plymouth  Colonies  alone ^  have 
had  more  Real  SuccEss,in  tbeConverfion  af  thelti" 
dians^mt  only  than  all  the  larger EngUJh  Colonies ^to 
theSoutbward  ;  hut  than  all  the  other  Christian 
Nations  that  have  fettled  tbrougbottt  the  '■jubole 
Continent  of  America.  The  Societies  of  NeinJ  Erg^ 
England^  could  never  be  contented  with  fuch  fort 
of  Converts  as  the  Roman  CatbAick  MiJJionaries 
boafted  of  in  many  Places  3  they  bad  no  Satis- 
faction in  the  Religion  of  the  nominal  Chrillians 
in  Europe^  and  tho'c  it  would  be  no  Advantage, 
to  make  fuch  Cbriftians  among  the  Indians^  as 
knew  no  more  of  the  Gofpel,  than  to  make  the 
Sign  of  the  Crofs^  or  who  defired  Baptifm  only, 
for  the  fake  of  the  new  Shirty  with  which  their 
Converfion  was  to  be  rewarded.  And  there  was 
very  great  OppoCtion,  to  the  making  them  real 
Chrillians.  Their  Sachems  or  Princes  generally, 
their  Powaws  or  Priefts  always,  oppofed  all  their 
Power  and  all  their  Arts  to  prevent  the  Growth 
of  the  Gofpel,  as  what  they  imagined  would  put 
an  End  to  their  Authority, cfpecially  that  of  their 
Priefls  ;  and  the  Cufloms  of  the  People,  their 
way  of  Life,  and  their  national  Vices,  made  it  a 
moll  difficult  Task  to  gofpeJUze  fuch   People,  as 

N  2  mud 


84  J^  Hijiorical  Llfcourfe^  &:g 

muft  be  fifft  d^/7/;2^i  or  humanized.  The  NeW" 
Enghjh  wonder  to  hear  themfelves  rcproachef1,for 
not  inter7narrying'with  fucb  Barbarians^  of  a  Com- 
p!e6tionfo  different  ,  they  never  had  theTemp- 
tations  ro  the  unnatural  Mixture^  as  foine  foreign 
Plantations  had,  nor  do  they  know  other  EnghJJj 
Plantations  ufed  to  do  ^o. 

As  to  this  Colony  inParticular  ;  at  fifll,  theiVi^r- 
vaganfets  made  it  a  puhhck  hit  ere  ft  ^  to  oppofe  the 
Propagation  of  the  Chrifttan  Keligi-n.      And  tho' 
Mr,  Williams  made  fome  laudable   Attempts,    to 
inflrud  rhem,  yet  he  was  much  difcouraged,  not 
only  by  want  of  a  lawful  Warrant,  or  an  imrae- 
diace  Commiflion  to  be  an  Apoftle  to  them,    but 
efpecially    by    (as  he  tho't)  the  infuperahle  Diffi- 
culty (f  preaching  Chriftianityto  them^  in  their  own 
Language  with  any  Propriety^  without   Infpiration. 
After  the  War,    they  were  foon  reduced   to  the 
Condition  of  the  labouringPoor,  withoutProperty, 
Hewers  of  Wood,  and  Drawers  of  Water  ;  and 
there  is  no  moreReafon  to  expect Religionjfliou'd 
by  human  Means,  thrive  among  fuch  Peoplejihan 
among  the  lazy  and  abandoned  Poor  in  London,^ 
The  few  that  have  Jived  much  together,  onAv;;/- 
g'ets  Lands,  have  had  feveral  Offers  of  the  Gof- 
pel,  as  the  Narraganfets  had  before  ;   and  at  pre- 
f-i\t  the  Congregcuiona)   Miniiter    at   IVefterly    is 
a  M.fliv^nary  to  rhem,  and  encouraged  by  an  Lx- 
hibuijii  from    the   Uitt(^h    S.aety  f:r  pvi-pcfgatttig 

Clnjitafi 


An  Hiftorical  Difcourfs^  &c.  8^ 

Cbriftian  Knowledge^  by  means  of  an  Eftate, mor- 
tified to  them  for  this  End,  by  the  late  'Dt.Damel 
IVilliams  of  London,     However,  it  muft  be  own- 
ed we  have  been  too  foon  difcouraged,  and  tot> 
negligent  in  this  Affair.     Perhaps  it  is  one  of  the 
worit  Effects  of  the  variety  of  religiousOpinions, 
among  the£'^^/jr/Z7,that  it  has  been fome  hindrance 
to  this  goodWorkjand  even  furnifhed  the  hidians 
fome  times,  with  an  Excufe  or  Pretence  to  wave 
any  Offers  to  inftrud   them.     If  the  Manners  of 
any,  have  likewife  prejudiced  any  Indians^    it   is 
moll  lamentable.     The  Vices  of  Chriflians  have 
been  an  infurmountable  Obftacle  to  the  progrefs 
of  Chriftianity,in  all  the  other  Parts  of  theVVorld, 
as  there  are  too  many   Evidences.     May  thefe 
Refledions,  however,  ftir  us  up    to  adorn  our 
holy  Religion,    and  to  be  careful  that    we  give 
none  Offence  to  any,  that  are  without   :     And 
may  it  difpofe  all    Perfons    to    contribute  all    m 
their  Power,  to  farther  the  Converfion  of  thefe 
People  to  the  Chriftian  Religion.     They  demand 
our  CcmpafHon,   and  our  Prayers  to  the  Throne 
of  Grace,  that  God  would  remove  the  Vail  from 
their  Eyes,  and  all  Prejudices  from  their  Hearts; 
that  he  would  convert  and  fave  them. 

Mr.  R.  IVilliams  at  fid,  gave  a  promifirg 
Charadter,  of  the  Morals  of  thcfc  People  ;  but 
on  longer  Acqviainrance,  and  more  Experience, 
he  feems  lo  have  altered  his  Opiriion  of   thejr  ; 

as 


B^  An  Hijlorkal  Difcourfe^  &c.^ 

2S  appears  by  fome  Expreflions  in  a  Manufcript 
of  his  yet  remaining.  "  Tlie  Diflindion  of 
«-^  drunken,  and  fober  honed  Sachems,  is  (fays 
*^  he)  both  lamentable,  and  ridiculous  j  lamen- 
**  table,  that  all  Pagans  are  given  to  Drunken- 
"  ncfs  5  and  ridiculous,  that  ihofe  (of  whom  he 
*'  was  fpeaking)  are  excepted.  It  is  (fays  he). 
*'  notorioully  known,  what  Confcicnces  all  Pa-- 
'^  gans  make  of  Lyings  Stealings  U^borivg^  Mur- 
"  derifig,  ''  &c.  25th  6th  m.    1658. 

After  this  Account  of  their  Morals^  I  fliould 
think  it  hardly  worth  while  to  inquire,  what  was 
their  Faith  and  lVurJJ:^ip  that  had  fo  little  EfFcdl 
on  their  Converfation  ^  if  we  had  not  juft  heard 
what  a  fcandal  to  Chriilianity,  the  Lives  of  too 
many  ChriAians  are.  However  the  Faith  of  this^ 
People  and  their  idolatrous  IVorfiip^  was  much  like 
the  other  Indian  Nations.  They  believed  in  one 
Great  and  Good  God,  who  lived  fomewhere  at 
a  great  Diflance  in  the  South  Weft,  and  that  the 
Spirits  of  Good  Men  do  after  Death  refide  with 
him.  But,  the  Government  of  theWorld,  they 
feem'd  to  think,  left  in  the  Hands  ofanEvilGod, 
the  Devil,  to  whom,  with  many  inferior  &  fub- 
ordinate  Deities,  they  paid  their  chief  Worfliip, 
at  ih^'wNicemtnors^  or  devilifli  Feails,  as  Mr.lVil- 
Hams  calls  them. 

The 


An  Hiftorical  Difcotirfe^  &cc.  6^ 

The  Indians  in  this  Fart  o(  Ajner tea,  appear  to 
have  been  fome  of  the  leaft  improved,  of  tha 
bHtnane  Species,  without  any  Learning,  or  Know- 
Jedge  in  any  of  the  politer  Arcs  of  Life,  even 
without  Iron  and  the  Improvements  which  depend 
on  that.  The  (Irange  Deltrudion  of  this  People,* 
now  ^mcQ  the  Wars  ceafed,  and  within  Memory, 
is  very  remarkable.  Their  infuperable  Averfiort 
to  the  Englifh  Indullry,  and  Way  of  Life,'  th© 
Alteration  from  the  Indian  Method  of  Jiving^' 
their  Lazinefs,  and  their  univerfai  Lome  of  Strong 
Brink,  have  fwcpt  them  away,  in  a  wonderful' 
Manner.  So  that  there  are  now  above  twenty 
Englijh  to  one  Indian  m  the  Colony.  Their  few 
oiiferable  Remainders  are  left,  as  Monuments  of 
the  Anger  of  a  righteous  God,  and  for  our* 
Warning  &  Inllrudlon.  While  iheContentioriS,; 
and  mutual  Animofities  of  the  Indians  in  ^epe- 
ral,  and  their  curfed  Third  of  Revenge,  made 
them  a  Prey  to  the  Weak,  and  fmall  Number 
of  Englifh,  we  fhould  learn  not  to.  bite  &  devour 
one  another,  led  we  be  devoured  one  of  another,^ 
or  of  the  Judgments  of  God.  While  we  have^ 
^tQn  their  Iniquities  prove  their  Ruin,  we  fhould 
learn  to  break  off  from  our  Sins  byRightecufnefs, 
and  efpecially  abftain  from,  and  watch  againll 
the  Sins,  which  have  been  fo  evidently  both,  the 
procuring  Caufes,  and  the  Means,  of  their  De- 
flrudion.  When  Co(^  was  condudins;  the  Ifrae- 
lites  to  the  Land  of  Canaan^  and  diiving  out  the 

liihabitants 


$%  \An  Hifiorical  Difiourfa^  &c. 

Inhabitants,  to  make  room  for  them,  he  was 
pleafed  to  warn  and  require  them,  not  to  defile 
themfelves  with  the  Abominations  of  thofe  Na- 
tions, left  as  the  Land  then  fpued  out  its  Inha- 
bitants, fo  it  fhould  Ipueout  them  likewife,  whea 
they  in  like  manner  defiled  it.  Tho'  it  wouM  be 
ridiculous  to  compare  our  felves,  to  the  IfraeUtes^ 
and  the  Indians  to  the  Canaanites^xn  manylmlan- 
ces,  yet  in  this  Pvefped",  it  may  be  proper  to  sr- 
gue,  that  if  we  Indianize  in  our  Manners  andVi- 
ces,  they  will  in  Time  draw  down  the  like,  or  as 
heavy  Judgments  of  God,  upon  us,  as  thofe 
with  which  he  hath  deftroyed  our  PredecelTors. 
God  grant  that  the  People^  who  have  been  cveY'^ 
thrown  in  the  IVtldernefs  may  be  Enfamphs  to  us, 
to  prevent  our  lufting  after  any  Evils,  left  wc 
be  deftroyed  likewife  of  the  Deftroyer  !  — • 

And  this  brings  me  now  at  laft,  to  the  R  e- 
M  A  R  K  s  I  promifed  at  the  Beginning.       And 

T.  The  firft  is,  'The  wonderful  and  unfearchahle 
Providence  of  GOD^  in  the  whole  Affair^  of  driving 
cut  the  Natives^  and  planting  Colonies  of  Europeans, 
and  Churches  of  Chrijiians^  in  the  Place  of  Heathen 
m/m  and  Barbarity. 

I  pretend  not  to  have  known  the  Mind  of  the 
L  o  R  D,  or  to  have  been  his  Counfeller,  or  to  be 
able  to  comprehend,  the  Ways  of  divine  Provi- 
dence,    god's  Judgments   are  a   great  Deep  j 

but 


An  Hiflorkal  Difcourfe^  &c.  89 

but  we  muft  be  wilfully  blind,  if  we  cannot  fee, 
that  the  Hand  of  the  Lord  batb  wrought  this. 

The  Difcovery,  and  theConqueft  of  America, 
with  the  amazing  Defolations  wrought  therein, 
appear  a  more  temarkable  Event,  than  any  other 
in  all  prophane  Hiltory,  ficice  the  univerfal  De- 
luge. A  new  World,  as  it  was  juftly  called, dif- 
covered  to  the  other,  or  rather  to  Europe^  and 
all  its  Riches  and  Glory  overturned,  and  given 
away  to  an  other  People  j  and  the  Abi-riginal 
Natives^  by  Famine,  Sword  and  Peftilence,  de* 
Uroyed,  and  wafted  away  by  Millions  throughout 
all  America  !  Who  can  tell  how,  or  how  long 
it  had  been  inhabited  ;  and  by  what  a  Series  of 
Iniquity,  it  was  ripe  for  fuch  a  fearful  Defolaiion, 
fuch  an  utter  Deftrudlion!  If  we  believe  a  Pro- 
videnre  (and  'tis  impoffible  we  can  believe  none) 
we  muft  needs  think  it  concerned,  in  the  Picfer- 
vation,  and  the  Punifliment  of  Kingdoms,  and 
Nations  j  and  that  thefe  Parts  of  theWorld,tho* 
feperated,  hid,  and  unknown  to  the  reft,  are  yet 
as  near  the  Omniprefence  of  GOD,  and  as  much 
under  his  G.)vernment,as  any  other.  And  there- 
fore  we  (h  >uld  takeNotice  of  the  wonderful  Provi- 
dence otGOD,inthisgreat Affair.  Howihould  we 
learn  to  fubmit  our  little  perfonal  Affairs,  to  the 
divineProvidence,when  wefee  th.itNations,before 
Him,  are  hut  as  the  fmall  Duft  '^f  the  BiHance  ? 
Aadhow  juitly  may  we  fay,  Great  and  marvellous 

O  ^^^ 


9€  -^n  Hifiorkal  Dlfcourfe^  &g. 

arethylVcrksfl LordGODAhmghty,  true  i3 faith fui 
are  thy  Ways ^  and  righteous  are  thy  Judgment s^tbou 
King  of  Saints  ^  who  JJjall  not  fear  thee^  and  glorify 
thy  l^ame^  for  thou  only  art  holy  :  Let  aU  Nations 
come  and  worjhip  before  thee^  for  thy  Judgments  are 
made  manifefl.  The  moftHigh  rukth  in  the  Kingdoms 
cj  Mcn^  and  givetb  them  to  wbom/oever  he  plea/eth. 

Again,  tie  Settlement  of  New  England  in  parti" 
cular,  was  evidently  providential^in  manyK(fpe5is, 
I    have   mentioned   often    the    prevailing   Mo- 
tive with  the   People,    who    came  firft  to  plant 
and    inhabit     in     this   Wilder ncfs  ,      but     the 
Difficulties  and  Difcouragemcnts    in  their  Way, 
were  really  many  and  very  great  ;  fo  that  who- 
ever refleds  the  Icall  upon  them,  "  mufl  wonder 
*'  io  many  were  carried  out  from   a  flourifbing 
*'  State,   to  a  Wildernefs  fo  far  diltant   ,  for  (as 
*'  One  of  them,  Mr.  Shepherd  of  Cambridge  ^  his 
Life  in  the  Magnalia  ,  fays  )  ''  they  were  not  all 
"of  them  raih  and  weak  fpirited  PerfonSjincon- 
*'  fiderate  of   what  they  left  behind,    and  were 
*'  going  to.     It   was  not  Gain,    or   Riches   they 
'^  aimed  at.      When  we  look  back  (fays  he)  and 
''  confiJer,  what  a  ftrange  Poife  of  Spirit,    God 
*'  had  laid  on  many  of  ourHearts,  we  cannot  but 
'*  wonder  at  our  felves,  that  fo  many,  and  fome 
'^  fo  weak  and  tender,    with  fuch    Chearfulnefs, 
^'  and  conftant  Refolution,  againft  fo  many  Per- 
^*  fvvafions  of  Friends,   &  Difcouragements  frrm 

"  the 


An  Hfprical  Di/ccur/^^  &c.  9f 

^*  the  ill  Reports  of  the  Country,  and  the  Straits 
^  and  Wants,  and  Trials  of  God's  People  in  if, 
^^  yet  fhould  leave  our  Accommodations  &Com- 
^  forts,  forfake  our  deareft  Relations,  overlook 
*^  all  the  Dangers  and  Difficulties  of  the  vafl  Sea> 
**  and  all  this  to  go  into  a  Wildernefs,  where  we 
"  could  for^ail  nothing  but  Care  and  Temptati- 
*^  ons,  only  in  hopes  to  enjoy  Christ  in  his 
**  Ordinances,  and  the  Fellowfliip  of  his  People". 

Moreover,  as  thefe  People  came  not  here,  for 
Plunder,  which  drew  over  the  Spaniards  to  the 
Southward^  neither  did  they  fettle  tbcmfelves^^ 
Force  or  by  their  own  Might  ;  but  GOD  was 
pleafed  to  make  ready  a  Place  prepared  as  an 
Afyl'um  for  them  :  And  fince  he  ha^  wonderfislly 
driven  out  and  confumed  the  Natiz^es  by  h'ys  de- 
vouring Judgments,  their  Sins  have  proved  their 
Punifliment  ;  and  their  deteftable  Vices,  have 
drawn  on  thofe  mortal  Sicknelfes,  which  have 
walied  away  all  within  the  EnglifhPaiejbat  a  few 
etTibraced  Chriftianity^  or  who  by  fubmltting  to 
the  EngUJJj  Pcwer^  remains  the  Memorials  of 
thefe  wonderful  Events.  It  is  true,  the  Indian 
J-ealoufy  and  Revenge  prevented  a  Union  among 
their  feveral  Clans  at  firfl,  and  made  them  in- 
ilrumental  in  the  Deftrudtion  of  one  another, and 
the  Englifa  had  great  Advantages  inth^ir  Arms  ; 
bat  ftill  the  Indians  vaftly  ouc-numbred  them  i 
were  more  abk  to  endure  Fatigue,  &  Hardfhips, 
Hanger^  &  Traveli  and  were  perfeftly  acquaint- 

O  2  cd 


fZ  An  Hiprical  Difceur/e^  &c. 

ed  with  their  own  Country.  However  a  remaf" 
kahU  Interp  fition  of  Provide ftee^wBs  vifibic  in  fomc 
of  the  carheft,  and  other  the  moft  important  En- 
terpnfes  againfl  them  ;  and  it  would  be  unjull 
not  to  give  to  GOD  the  Glory  due  to  his  Name : 
The  Lord  is  King  for  ever,  and  the  Heathen 
are  perifhed  out  of  the  Land  !  As  therefore 
GOD  hath  planted  this  People,and  not  their  own 
Skill,  or  Power,  fo  neither  let  them  imagine  it 
was  for  their  Merits  and  Deferts  :  We  know  not 
the  fpcret  and  future  Defigns  of  Providence. 
Only  let  us  remember,  that  He  who  chaftifeih 
the  Heathen^  will  alfo  corred  thofe,  who  are 
called  by  bis  Name^  if  they  turn  to  Folly. 

Again,  'tis  remarkable  how  divine  Providence 
^as  plcafed  to  fupply  their  Wants  in  a  Wilder- 
nefs,  among  a  People  that  never  took  care  for  the 
Morrow  ^  and  tofupport  them  under  theDiftrefles 
they  were  tried  with.  At  Plymouth  and  Bofton^ 
many  died  at  firft,  for  want  of  Neceflaries  and 
Conveniencies,  but  afterwards,  it  was  many 
Years,  before  any  Sicknefs  prevailed  amongft  the 
Planters,  And  tho*  they  have  often  fmce  been 
vifired  with  fore  Calamities,  and  wafting  Sick- 
neffes,  yet  their  Numbers  have  continually 
sncreafed  to  a  very  great  Degree;  while  the  Na-^ 
fives  have  been  wafted  away,by  the  fameDifeafcs, 
and  feme  other  infedious  Diftempers,  from 
which    the    EvghJJd    have    been    providentially 

deliver- 


An  Hiftorical  Dijcourfe^  &c.  93 

delivered.  ^  1  can't  help  obferving  here,  the 
very  great  Age^  to  which  many  of  the  firft  Settlers  of 
this  Cohny  lived.  Many  of  them  thro*  all  the 
Difficulties  and  Hardihips  of  a  new  Plantation, 
lived  here  near  and  fome  above  forty  Years,  and 
feme  above  y/x/^.  ^    Remarkable  was  the  Care 

of 


1^  Thus  I  am  informed  by  a  worthy  Gentleman^  that  an  Indian^ 
xoming  in  from  Sea,  fick  of  an  uncommon  Fever,  infe^d 
his  Acquaintance,  and  they  propagated  the  Difcafc  to 
others,  and  a  very  great  Mortality  enfucd  among  the  In- 
dian/f  in  Narhagartfet ;  while  the  Englijb,  were  preferved 
from  the  Infe^ion. 

*  Many  of  the  Original  Settlers  of  the  Colony,  lived  thro*  all 
the  Dangers  and  Difficulties  of  their  new  Settlement,  above 
forty  Tears.  Particularly  Mr. If^im.  Jrnold,  Mr  jf  Greene  8cc. 
who  came  up  the  firft  Year  with  Mr.  ff^illiams.  Mv.Harrij^ 
Mr.  Olney  &c.  who  came  foon  after  Mr.  IVilliams  himfelf, 
lived  till  about  1^82,  when  he  was  buried  uich  all  the  So* 
lemnity  the  Colony  was  able  to  fhew.  Gov.  Jrnold^  who 
came  up  a  Man  grown,  the  f^fl  tVintery  dyed  a  few  Months 
before  Gov.  Coddingtonin  1678.  At  H^arwick  Mr  IVeekes 
was  (lain  by  the /»i//^»/  1675,  a  very  ancient  Man  ;  and 
Mr.  Gorton,  Mr.  Holden  &c.  furvived  the  War,  and  fome  06 
them,  many  Years  :  Particularly  Major  y.  Greency  who 
came  a  Youth  to  Providence  in  1654,5,  ^nd  was  a  Com- 
miflioner  for  Providence  the  firft  Affembly  after  the  Patent 
in  1647.  was  Deputy  Gov.  of  the  Colony  1700,  as  he  had 
been  many  Times  before.  Here  at  Ncwpor/ fever al  of  thofc 
who  Incorporated  themfelves  1657,8  and  of  ihofe  who  came 
to  them  the  Summer  following  furvived  the  Indian  fVar, 
Mr.  John  Clark  lived  to  the  20fh  of  j^pril  i6]6.  Gov. 
Brenton  died  in  1674.  Mr  N.  Eafion  who  came  1658  from 
Hampton^  where  he  built  the  J?rji  Engljb  Houfe,  as  he  did 
alfo  in  1639  in  Newport,  lived  to  1675,  when  he  died  a  very 
ancient  Man.  His  Son  Mr.  John  Eaflo»t  who,  as  his  Father^ 
v/as  divers  Times  Governour  of  the  Colony t  died  1705,  in  hi* 
85th  Year.  Mr.  H,  Bull,  ontoi  the  18  that  Incorporated 
themfelves  at  the  firft,  was  Governour  of  the  Colony  aftcc 
the  Revolurion.    Mr.  Ed.  Thurpon^  who  was  Affiftant   167  5» 

and 


$4  -^^  Hifiorical  Ltfccurfe^  &c. 

of  divine  Providence  in  preferving  them  from 
Famine  in  a  new  Country,  where  'twas  fomcTime 
fecforc  they  could  be  enabled, to  provide  for  their 
comfortabLeSobfiftence.  God  was  pleafed  to  blefs 
their  Pfovifion,  and  fatisfy  his  Poor  with  Food.  4: 

II.    IVc 


and  many  Times  Deputy  for  Newport^  died  ,1706,7,  aged  50 
Years.  Many  fuch  Inftances  might  be  given.  And  many 
of  the  fecond  Generation^  fuch  I  mean,  as  were  bcrn  vithin 
the  firft  20  or  25  Years,  reached  to  fomrfcore,  and  fome 
CO  ninety  Years.  If  wc  confider,  the  long  Lives  of  fo  many 
of  the  firfi  Comers,  nct^^ithflanding  the  Hard^ips  and 
DiftrelTcs  they  underv^ent,  and  the  Change  of  Climate, 
Dict&c.a«dto  this  add, the  greatAge  of  many  of  thcirChildren, 
we  can't  call  the  Country  ^  Unhealthy^  or  the  Inhabitants  Short- 
Livecl.  The  Proportion  of  ancient  People  above  70  Years 
of  Age,  to  the  whole  Number  of  the  prefent  Inhabitants, 
xiompared  wiih  the  like  Propor;ion  in  other  Countries, 
which  have  been  fully  fettled,  and  inhabited  above  1000 
.  Years,  can  be  no  good  Rule  to  judge  by.  Eighty  Years 
agon,  the  whole  Number  of  the  Inhabitants,  and  ccnie- 
quently  of  the  Births  here,  vas  very  Imall,  perhaps  there 
w«re  fewer  than  tuo  hundred  Fatvilies  in  the  whole  Cdony. 
And  the  Number  of  Inhabitants  in  this  Town,  has  vaftly 
iiKrcafcd  the  laft  50  Years.  Let  mc  further  add,  that  the 
lorcfaid  Rule  will  not  be  applicable  to  this  Colony  a  great 
u-hile  hence,  if  ever  ;  b?caul'e,  fo  many  of  the  Natives^ 
^ye  in  tie  Jf^ejl  India  Jfiands.  It  is  certain,  a  very  great 
Part  of  thofe  of  them  who  dye  between  fixteen  and  thirty- 
fiK,  arc  loft  at  Sea,  or  dye  in  thofe  lilands,  or 
bring  home  from  thence,  thofe  Difeafes,  which  foon  prove 
fatal  to  them  here  ;  tho'  'lis  notorious,  how  condu- 
cive to  the  Recovery  of  Health,  a  Voyage  from  thofe 
Iflands,  to  the  Northern  Plantations,  is  generally  found,  lb 
that  we  have  almoft  always  fome  or  other  of  tlieir  Inhabi- 
tants here  for  that  End. 
\  Jaruary  22  1^59,  it  was  found  that  there  were  but  icS 
Bufhcis  of  Corn,  to  fupply  96  Perfons  :  Which  at  the 
Proportion  of  one  IJufbcl  and  half  a  Peck  to  each,  was  not 
TTj&vc  than  lufficieiK;  to  Jjyply  thcEi  for  fix  tf^eeh,  and  yec 


An  Hiftorical  Dijcourfe^  &c.  9 J 

II.  IVe  muft  remark  (however  it  will  found  in 
the  Ears  of  many)  that  this  Colony  was  a  Settle^ 
merit ^and  Plantation  forReligion  andConfciencefake. 
Thefirfl:Comers5came  on  thisAccount  3  theirBre- 
thrcn  may  have  faid  many  hard  Things  of  them, 
in  their  Hafte  -,  but  'tis  certain  the  firft  Planters 
of  this  Colony^  and  Jjland^  fled  not  from  Religion, 
Order,  or  good  Government  ;  but  to  have  Li- 
berty to  VVoifhip  GOD,  and  enjoy  their  own  re- 
ligious Opinions  and  Belief.  They  left  England 
for  the  fame  Reafons,  and  with  the  fame  Views, 
as  the  reft  -,  and  they  left  the  Majfachufetts^  as 
they  tho'r,  on  the  like  Account,  and  came  here 
to  purfue,  and  effe(St  the  Ends  of  their  firft  re* 
moval  into  America. 

I  know  well  what  Account,  the  New  Englijh 
Hiftorians  give  of  that  Set  of  Men  j  but  we  muft 
remember,  they  were  Parties^  and  wrote  by  way 
of  Apology^  or  to  vindicate  themfelves  from  th« 
Charge  of  Per/ecution,  or  Error  and  Herefy^  both 
^like  odious.  Now  if  it  be  confidered  what  Ac- 
count contending  Parties,  ufually  give  of  each 
other,  and  in  what  a  Light,  and  with  what  Co- 
lours they  ufually  reprefent  their  Adverfaries  5 
no  one  will  charge  me,  with  any  Defign  to  re- 


i:  was  then  more  rhan  fo  manyMonrhs  to  Harveft.  But  there 
was  plenty  of  Fifh,  and  Fowl,  and  Veniion  ;  and  foon  after, 
even  to  this  Day>,  all  the  NecciTdries  of  Lite  have  been 
plcniitul. 

flea 


96  J^n  Hiftor'ica!  Difrourfi^  &e. 

fled  on  thofe  Gentlemen,  whofe  Memory  is  fo 
highly  regarded  in  the  other  NeW'EngliJh-CoJo^ 
fiies^  if  I  beg  leave  to  quellioh'  and  fufpeS  the 
ill  Charad^er,  they  have  faftned  on  thofe  poor 
People,  fome  of  whom  have  exprefled  a  deep 
Refentment  of  the  Injury,  and  Wrong  that  was 
done  them,  by  the  Hiftorians  of  the  other  Party. 
Whoever  confiders  the  Cbara^er^  thofe  IVriters 
give  of  all  other  Se^s^  and  Parties  of  Chriftians  ; 
and  the  Ch^ra&et  fome  otberParties  give  of  them, 
will  be  apt  to  think  that  both  Sides  are  to  be 
read  with  Allowance  for  their  re/pe^ive  Prejudiced. 
I  fay,  whoever  confiders  the  Charader  the  con- 
tending Parties  of  Chriftians,  almofl  for  ever 
give,  not  only  of  each  others  STenets^  or  Opinions^ 
but  of  xhtitConduSf^  efpecially  in  fo  far  as  relates 
to  the  Support  or  Spreading  their  Opinions  ;  not 
only  the  Papifts  of  the  Proteftants^  but  the  PrO" 
teftants  of  one  another,  particularly  thcLutherans 
of  the  Cahinifis  :  (Jlornheck  ;  Summ.)  Who- 
ever confiders  how  common  *tis  for  perfonal  Ke- 
fledions,  to  mix  with  folemn  Debates,  on  the 
higheft  and  moll  awful  Doftrines,  as  well  ^s  the 
]catt  and  moft  indifferent ;  I  fay,  whoever  con- 
fiders thefe  Things,  will  readily  acknowledge  we 
are  not  to  take  the  Charadler  of  any  Seft  or 
Pcrfon,  barely  from  the  Defcription  of  knowa 
Adverfaries  j  efpecially  when  the  Defcription 
doth  it  felf  imply  many  Circumftances,  which 
carry  theftrongeilGrounds  ofSufpicion  with  them. 

If 


cc 


An  Hijioricjl  D'/csurp^  &c.  97 

ir  I  here  be  any   thing    in    that    Obfervatron, 
iha:  the  Nature,  and  import  of  the  Q^aellions, 
*-^  about  which  theDifference  began,  and  the  Zeal 
''  wherewith  they  were  handled,  intimate  fome- 
^^  thing  cf  the  holy^cmpcr^  prevailing  among  the 
*'    Body  of  the  People  s"  (^Mc^gnalia^     1  defire  it 
may  be  cor4fidered5   that  thole  Perfons,    were   in 
repute  with  the  very  bed,  for  Holinefs  and  Zeal, 
before  this  unhappy  Contention.       Moreover,    ic 
muil  be  remcmbred,  that  the  Points  about  which 
they  were  charged  with  Error,  are  of  fucha  Na- 
ture, as  that  a  Perfon's  Sentiments  may  be  eafily 
mi  {taken, and  mifrepreftnted.     It  was  long  before 
the  Church  at  Bofien  could  have  any  Evidence  of 
their  holding  thole  Opinions,  which  that  Church 
condemned,  the  Wirneffes  at  the  lait  wereParties 
and  tranfported  withZsal.    'Tis  not  doubted  there 
was  Tome  Difference  in  their  Opinions,  at  leaft  in 
their  Exprtfiions  j    but  there  is  much  Ground  to 
doubt, whether  any  of  them  held  all  the  Opinions 
condemned  in  the  Synod^    and  that  few  of    them 
held  many  ofthofe   harfh   Confequences,    which 
their  Adverf^uics,  drew  from  their  Tenets.      Be- 
fides  much  the  greater  Number  were  never  cen- 
fured  at  nil  ;  but  (as  I  obferved  before)  confider- 
ed  as  Brethren-^  long  after  their  coming  here. 

We  cannot  rcafonably  fuppofe  that  they  di- 
re<^ly  forgot  or  negleded  the  foJe  End  o^  theic 
Removal,  but  as  they  followed  thai  ChiiYch  Order^ 

P  ihey 


9^  ^n  Hijlorical  Difcourp^  &c. 

they  judged  mod  agreable  to  the  Will  of  GOD, 
and  profeiTed  thofe  Opinions^  atjd  ArticJes  of  Be- 
lief they  thoh  GOD  had  revealed,  fo  we  muft 
charitably  judge,  the  Life  of  Religion^  and  the 
Love  and  Fear  cfGOD^  did  not  go  outjand  vanifli 
away,  on  their  leaving  all,  for  bis  Name  fake  and 
the  Gofpel^  1.  e.  the  Liberty  to  worfhip  Him  ac- 
cording to  their  Confciences.  And  yet  all  the 
other  Colonies  will  be  obliged  to  own,  that  the 
Trials  and  Temptations  of  a  WildernefSjhad  fome 
unhappy  EfFeds,  on  many  who  had  fhewn  great 
Zeal  about  Religion. 

However,  while  we  are  contemplating  the  Oc- 
cafion  of  our  Settlement,  and  the  Ends&  Views 
of  our  pious  Anceftors,  when  we  find  thatKeJigion 
^ndConfcience  began  iheColony^Ws  natural, 'tis  necef- 
fary  to  refledl  &  confider  how  thefe  Ends  are  anf- 
wered  by  their  Pofterity  at  prefent.  Our  Fathers 
bore  theHeat  &Burden  of  theDay,and  tho'  Provi- 
dence gave  them  a  pleafant  and  fruitful  Land,  * 

the 


*  Mr.  locale  juftly  obfcrvcs  (p  595)  this  Ifland  which  is  a- 
bour  14  or  15  Mi'es  lonjy,  and  abonr  4  or  5  Miles  broad 
(tho*  of  unequal  Brcadrh)  is  defcrvedly  eftecmed  the  Pam* 
d'fe  of  Iseiv  En^lavd  fcr  the  fru'ttfuJnffs  of  the  Soil,  and  t!ic 
tewpfratenfff  of  the  Climnte  \  that  tho*  it  be  nor  above  65 
Milfrs  So'.uli  of  Bcpon,  \s  a  Coar  warmer  in  Winrer,  and 
being  rjrro'M^dcd  by  the  Ocean  is  not  fo  much  sH^;6kd  in 
Summer  v^ith  the  hot  Li^nd  Breezes,  as  ThcTow.ns  en  the 
Continent.  *'  Lcr  me  :i6<\,  \\c  bave  all  S-'mm.er  a  Sooth 
or  South w^eft.:rly  Sea  Brcexe»  aln-x)ft  every  Day.  vhich  rifes 
^bout  10  A.  M.  and   wonde. fully  cools  the   Air.     And  by 

realbti 


An  Hi  ft  or  ic  a  I  Di/courfe^  &r.  99 

the  Garden  of  New  Eri^Iand^  yet  the  fubduing 
and  cultivating  a  VVildernefs,  was  a  tedious,  and 
a  laborious  Bafinefs,  and  necefTdrily  attended 
with  many  Hardfliips,  Straits,  and  Difficulties. 
Their  Polterity  pcffefs  the  Fruit  of  their  Labour, 
and  fhoulJ  think  thcmfelves  obliged  to  fulfil  the 
pious  Ends  of  our  Plantation.  GOD  juflly  ex- 
pedts  that  we  fear  the  Lord  our  God,  and  Love 
Him,  and  walk  in  his  Ways,  and  lerve  him  with 
all  our  Heart.  It  feems,  that  pure  Religion,  and 
true    Godlinefs,    is    what  we  /;;   a  mfl   peculiar 


reafon  of  foutheafterly  Sea  ^r^azt^^  in  rhe  Spiinp,  the  S'lm- 
nier  does  not  come  on  lb  quick  as  ar  Bcfo?i,  ti;o'che  Win- 
ter ufjally  breaks  up  iboner.  ■  -^Here  lee  mc  be  per- 
mitted to  o&er  a  Correction  o*"  a  vuia.ir  E-^ror,  about  the 
Reafon  of  the  Q'd  of  Neiu  E?2glarJ  IFir.tevs,  which  is  lb 
very  much  greaier,  than  in  the  European  Coun'rys  in  the 
fame  Latiiuie?.  The  Liikes  uluallv  bear  rhe  Biame  of  our 
coid  Nc?>'f^-a;t'j'2  Winds,  bur  by  a  Map  of  rhe  Counrrv  oftne 
five  Nations,  and  ot  the  Lakes  &c.  pubiOied  at  Keiv  Tork 
by  Authority,  and  laid  to  be  taken  fonn  a  Map  of  Lcirfi-ina^ 
done  by  hir.De  Ltjle'in  17  i8.  i:  anrears  that  all  the  Lal<e>, 
except  the  L^k^Champlainy  are  coufiderablv  ro  the  WelUvard 
oi  rhe  Korthivrfi  Point,  from  rhis  Toivyi  The  ch.ief  of  t'!>ere 
vaft  Lakes  are  Norrhweft  from  Pevftlvania^  J/.t)v/  nU  and 
Virginia  AH  the  g^reat  Lahs  arc  U^efi  from  JiL.v^y,  aN  the 
Council  of  NeW'Tork  feem  to  alT.rt  ;  and  JH-iriyi^,  ?^  I  fup- 
pofe,  nearer  l^P^eJl  Irom  Bojif^n  than  Northweft.  Bcfide^,  ic 
is  credibly  reported  by  inreliigenr  Perfons,  moft  con.erlanc 
in  thofe  Region?,  that  at  the  moll:  Eaftern  of  the  Lake*,  the 
Winds  are  ufually  E.zflerly  in  'thofe  Mon:h«,  wlien  v.  e  are 
frozen  with  North  JVcft  JVinds.  Perha^js  as  onr  Dil^ance 
from  the  Equator,  occafions  the  long  Draft  of  Winds  from 
Korth- Weft,  lb  the  vart  Body  of  Lmds,  uncultivated,  and 
covered  with  a  perpetual  Foreft.  which  b-eaks  the  Rav  s  of 
the  Sun,  and  prevents  their  Reflcflion  from  the  Ea-th,  is 
ivhac  occafions  thole  Winds,  to  be  lb  very  c^Id  here. 

"S  z  manner^ 


100  An  Hlftorical  D^fiourft..  &c. 

r/i^^ifier^  owe  to  GOD,  as  the  very  Quit-Rents 
of  HirLanns,  &  anAeknovvJcgemcdt  of  ihcn.crci- 
lulProvidences  in  our  fitftSettJemenr ,  as  well  as  for 
the  conll:cint  Favours  of  GOD  to  us  ever  fince. 

The  Poflerity  of  a  Fcoplc^  who  were  guided  by 
the  Providence  of  GOD,  to  this  b/ippy  Jf^and^  as 
a  fafe  Retreat  from  the  iiormy  Winds  ^  as  a  Place 
of  freedom  to  practice  every  Branch  of  Religion 
in,  mult  be  ifjcxcuiable,  if  they  degenerate  and 
forget  rhe  God  of  their  Fathers.  The  'veryhijiru- 
ment  of  our  original  hicorp  ration^  obliges  us  to 
"  ferveGOD  &JesusChrist5&  obey  all  his 
holy  Laws."  Irreligion  then,  and  Prophanr.cf?, 
and  Immorality  murt  be  a  peculiar  Reproach  to 
fuch  a  People.  Our  Fathers  will  rife  up  injudg- 
ment  againli,  and  condemn  their  degenerate  Off- 
Ipring,  and  rhe  GOD  of  our  Fathers  uili  call  us 
rff  tor  ever,  if  we  do  not  practice  that  Sobriety^ 
Righteoufnefs,  and  Godlinefs,  which  his  Gofpel 
requires,  and  we  are  under  \o  many  pecuHsr 
Obligations  to  obferve.  Nay,  it  will  be  more 
tolerable  for  the  Peqr.iots^  the  IVanqjancags^  the 
ISfarragatiftts  in  the  Day  of  Judgment,  than  frr 
fuch  of  us  as  obey  not  the  Gofpel  of  our  Lord 
J  E  s  u  s  C  H  R  I  s  T.  It  is  true,  the  Indian  Naticis 
did  obllina'.eiy  refufe  the  Gotpel,  but  they  knew 
not  what  they  did  ;  they  did  it  ignorantly,  f5f:d 
in  Unbe'ic'f  ,  v,hi!e  v,  e  have  kno\^  n  our  Malief 's 
Will  i  and  to  wh-^m  much  is  giver.jt)f  ihtm  n.uch 

will 


An  Hijlcrlcal  Difcoiirfe^  &c.  loi 

uill  be  required.  As  we  have  be^n  as  it  were 
lifted  up  to  Heaven  with  Privileges,  our  Fall  will 
be  fo  much  the  greater,  in  the  bottomlefs  Pit,un- 
Jels  we  lay  hold  on  eternal  Lite. 

If  our  Neighbours  obferve  the  Manners  of  the 
Inhabitanrs  arc  reformed  in  any  Inltances,  for- 
merly grievous  to  them,  let  us  endeavour  to  ic- 
form  whatever  is  ftiil  really  amifs  among  us,  and 
put  away  the  Evil  of  our  Doings,  that  the  Lord 
GOD  may  dwell  among  us.  May  we  be  noted 
only,  and  ever,  for  the  general  Difcharge  of  all 
pablic!<  and  private  Venues  j  for  the  impartial 
Adminillration  of  Juftice  ,  and  the  lleddy  Exe- 
cution of  good  and  wholefome  Laws  ;  and  for 
leading  quiet  and  peaceable  Lives,in  all  Godlinefs 
and  Honerty. 

It  is  an  old  and  common  Obfervation,  that  the 
Stature,  and  Completion  *  of  humaneCreaturcs, 
as  well  as  of  Plants  and  Animals  j  yea,  and 
the  Genius  and  Dirpofitions  of  a  People,  are  very 
much  influenced  by  the  Soil, and  Climate  -,  by  the 

*  Jn  like  manner  fomcDifeafes  are  peculiar  to  every  Country  , 
pcrr!)aps  v\c  may  thiilF~y  account  Tor  what  has  been,  in  vain, 
iicrempred  to  be  accounccd  for  fo  manv  orherWavs  ;  viz.  the 
defcciive  Teeth  lb  common  in  Nfo;  England.  Mr.P^.lViliiams, 
i'i)"i,  that  vviicn  he  firft  came  here,  ihz  Indians  were  v^.tily 
ru'j<aro  the  Teeth' A' ch,  and  that  their  very  ftou'eft  Men, 
con'plainedmon  of  that  Pr,in,  than  their  f^romen  o(  the  P^ins 
Cj  TnV'.'nil. 

Situation, 


102  An  Hiftorical  Difccurfe^  &c. 

Situation,  the  Nature,  and  Circumftanccs  of  the 
Place  they  inhabit.  Thus^the  Inhabitants  of  the 
feveral  Parts  of  Italy^  of  Germany  &c.  are  cha- 
radterized  from  their  refpedtive  Countrys  ^  and 
thus  it  was  obferved  of  the  Carthaginians.  The 
peculiar  Genius,  and  Difpofitions  of  a  People, 
mull  arife  from  hence  ;  or  the  Form  of  Govern^ 
ment,  and  Laws  they  live  under  ,  or  the 
Genius  of  the  prefent  chief  Commanders. 
The  Narraganfets^  who  inhabited  this  Trad  of 
Land,  before  us,  were  not  remarkable  among  the 
Indians^  for  many  Vices  peculiar  to  them,  i  only 
that  in  proportion  to  their  greater  populoufnefs, 
they  exceeded  in  the  Vices,  common  to  all  the 
Indian  Nations.  Ultnefs  and  Intemperance  are 
every  where  branded,  as  Indian  Vices  ;  and  they 
were  complained  of,  as  (hamefully  «^^//^^»^  in  the 
Education  of  their  Children,  and  that  they  had 
in  a  Manner,  no  Family  Government  at  all.  Tho' 
the  Face  of  the  Country  is  greatly  changed  by 
Englijh  Indultry,  and  an  almofl  ImmenfeLabour 
and  Expence,  yet  a  plentiful  Country  will  always 
afford  its  Inhabitants  Inducements  and  Tempta- 
tions to  abufe  the  divine  Goodnefs,  and  to  turn 
the  Grace  of  GOD  into  Wantonnefs.  If  inftead 
of  having  been  able,  to  teach  thelndians^  Clriftian 

^  Mr.  Huhhard  f2ys,^2.  '^.  **  The  Narhafrar/ets,    were  always 
noic  Civil  ard  Cow'fecas    to  ihz  EngVJh^  ;han  eny  of  the 

Vertues^ 


'An  Hijlorlcal  Difcourfiy  &o  103 

Vertues,  we  fhould  learn,  and  imitate  the  Indian 
Vices  J  how  unhappy,  how  reproachful,  how  la- 
mentable would  it  be  ?  Surely,  we  muft  thinfc 
GOD  expeds  more  from  us,  with  all  our  Ad- 
vantages of  Knowlege,  with  the  Gofpel,  the 
Word  of  GOD  5  which  is  able  to  make  us  wife 
to  Salvation,  thro'  Faith  that  is  in  Chrift  Jefus. 
We  have  not  only  theLight  of  Reafon,brightned 
and  improved,  but  Revelation,  to  be  as  a  Guide 
to  us  :  Let  us  make  the  Scriptures  then  as  a 
Light  to  our  Feet,  and  a  Lamp  to  our  Path. 

And  in  fine,  let  every  Scft,  and  Party  of 
Chriftians  among  us,  be  followers  of  GOD  as  dear 
Children  :  Let  us  be  careful  to  build  onlyGold, 
Silver,  precious  Stones,  on  the  Rock  of  Ages^ihe 
true  Foundation  of  our  Faith,  and  Hope  :  Let  us 
walk  worthy  of  GOD  to  all  well  plcafing,  and  a- 
dorn  the  Chriflian  Religion  in  general,  in  the 
Sight  of  the  Heathen  j  and  reconwriend  ouc 
dillinguifhing  Opinions  to  one  another,  by  a  more 
exemplary  Behaviour  j  a>nd  fo  induce  others  to 
glorify  GOD  our  Heavenly  Father. 

III.  Liberty  of  Confcience  was  the  B4zjis  cf  this 
Colony,  Our  Fathers  tho't  it  juft  and  neceflary  to 
allow  each  other  mutually  to  worfhip  GOD,  as 
their  Confciences  were  refpedlively  perfwaded  : 
They  tho'c  no  Man  had  Power  over  the  Spirit  of 
GOD  ;  and  that  the  Duty  of  the  Magillrate  was 

to 


I  ©4  ^n  HifioYical  Difccurfe^  he. 

to  leave  every  one  to  follow  the  Light  of  his 
Confcience.  They  were  v^illing  to  exhibit  ro 
the  Worlds  an  Inftance  that  Liberty  of  Confci- 
ence was  confiftent  with  the  publick  Peace,  -and 
the  flourifhing  of  a  civil  Common  Wealth,  as  well 
as  that  Chriftianity  could  fubfifl  without  Com- 
pulfion,  and  that  bearing  each  others  Burdens, 
was  the  way  to  fulfil  the  Law  of  Chrifl. 

I  do  not  know  there  was  ever  before,  fince  the 
World  came  into  the  Church,  fuch  an  Inftance, 
as  the  Settlement  of  this  Colony  and  Jjland.  In 
other  States  the  civil  Magiftrate  had  for  ever, 
z  puhlick  Driving  in  the  particular  Schemes  of 
Faith,  and  Modes  of  Worfhip  ;  at  lealt,by  nega- 
tive Dlfcouragements,  by  annexing  the  Rewards 
of  Honour  and  Profic  to  his  own  Opinions  ;  and 
generally, the  Subject:  was  bound  by  penai  Laws, 
to  believe  that  Set  of  Dodlrines,  and  to  woilh  p 
GOD  in  that  Manner,  the  Magiftrate  pleafed  to 
prefcribe.  Chriftian  Magijlratcs  would  unaccoun- 
tably affumc  to  themfelves,  the  fame  Authority 
in  religious  Aifairs,  which  any  of  the  Kings  of 
Judab,  cr  Jfrael^  exercifed,  either  by  Ufurpaticn, 
or  by  the  immediate  Will,  and  Infpiration  of 
GOD  ;  and  a  great  deal  more  too.  As  if  the 
becoming  Cbriftian^  gave  the  Magiftrate  any  new 
Right,  or  Authority  over  his  Subjcds,  or  over 
the  Church  of  Chrift  ;  and  as  if  that  becaufc 
they  fubmittcd  perfonally  to  the  Authority,  and 

Govern- 


Aft  Hifljfkal  Difcour/e^  &c.  \o$ 

Government  of  Chrill:  in  his  Word,    that  there- 
fore they  might  cloath  themfelves   with  his   Au- 
thority j  or  ratfoer,  take   his  Scepter  oik   of   his 
Hand,   and  lord  it  over  GOD's  Heritage       It  is 
JamenrabJe  that  Pagans  and  Infidels   allow   more 
Liberty  to  Cbriftians^  than  they   were    won't    to 
allow  to  one  another.     'Tis  evident,    the    civil 
Aiagiitrate  as  fuch,    can   have    no    Authority   to 
decree  Articles  of  Faith,  and  to  determineModes 
of  Worfhip,  and  to  interpret  the  Laws  of   Cbri^ 
for  his  Subjedls,   but  what  muft  belong  to  aP  Ma- 
giitrates  j    but  no  Magiftrates  can  have  moreAu- 
thority  over  Confcicnce,  than  what  is    neceflary 
to  preferve  the  publick  Peace  ;    and  that  can  be 
only  to  prevent  one  Sec^b,   from   opprefling  ano- 
ther, and  to  keep  the  Peace  between  them.    No- 
thing can  be  more  evidently  proved,  than  *^  the 
Right  of  private  Judgment  for  every  Man^in  the 
Affairs  of  his  own  Salvation,  "  and  that  both  from 
the  plaineil  Principles  of  Reafon,   and  the  plain- 
eilDeclarations  of  theScripture.     This  is  theFoua- 
dation  of  the  Reformation,  of  the  Chriiliaa  Re- 
ligion, of  all  Religion,    which  neceflarily  implie* 
Choice  and  Judgment.     But  I  need  not  labour  a 
Point,  that  haj  been  fo    often  demonflrated.     ^o 
many  Ways.      Indeed  as  every  Man  believes  his 
own  Opinions  the  be(^,    becaufe  the  truell,   and 
ought  charitably  to  wifh  all   others    of  the  fame 
Opinion,  it  muft  feem  reafonable,  the  Magiftiate 
Ihjuid  have  a  puldick  Leading^  in  rel'giousAiFairs, 

Q_  bw 


io6  jin  H'lftoY'ical  Lifcotirfe^  &c. 

but  as  he  almolt  foi  ever  exceeds  the  dueBounds, 
and  as  Error  prevails  ten  Times  more  thanTruih 
in  the  World,  the  Intereft  of  Truth,  and  the 
Right  of  privatt  Judgment  feem  better  fecured, 
by  a  univerfiil  Toleration,  that  fliall  fupprefs  all 
Prophaneis,  and  Immorality,  and  preferve  every 
Party,  in  the  free  and  undiAurbedLiberty  of  their 
Confciences-  while  they  continue  quiet  &  dutiful 
Subjeds  to  the  State. 

Our  Fathers  eflablifhed  a  mutual  Liberty  of 
Confciencejwhen  ihty  fir fi Incorporated  themfelves : 
this  they  confirmed  under  their  firji  Patent^  and 
and  at  the  Keftorathn^  they  petitioned  King 
Charles  2^.  (Charter^  "  That  they  might  be 
•'  permitted,  to  hold  forth  a  lively  Experiment, 
*'  that  a  moll  flourifhing  civil  State,  may  {land, 
*'  and  beft  be  maintained,  and  that  among  Eng- 
*^  hjh  Subjeds,  wich  a  full  Liberty  in  religious 
*^  Concernments^  and  that  true  Piety  rightly 
''  grounded  on  Gofpel  Principles,  will  give  the 
**  bell  and  the  grcatefl  Security  to  Sovereignty  j 
**  and  will  lay  in  the  Hearts  of  Men,  thelliong- 
**  eft  Obligations  to  true  Loyalty.  "  And  the 
King  was  pleafed  to  make  them  a  Gr^ux^hy  which 
^'  every  Perfon  may  ever  freely  and  juUy  have  ^  en- 
^*^  joy  bis  own  Judgment  or  Confcience  in  Matters 
'  :/  ^^ligi'^us  Concernment^  behaving  himfelj peacea- 
'"•  bh  and  quietly^  and  not  uflng  this  Liberty^  for 
y*  LicentiC'tipjefs^  and  Pr(pbanefs^    nor  to  the  civil 

''  Injury^ 


An  Hijlorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  107 

^*  Injury^  or  outward  D^JfurbatJce  of  others.  " 
This  happyPfiviledge  wc  enjoy  to  this  Day,  thro' 
the  divine  Goodnels  s  and  the  Experiment  has 
fully  anfvvered,  and  even  beyond  what  might 
have  been  expeded,  from  the  fir fl Attempt,  The 
civil  State  has  flounfhed,  as  well  as  if  fecured  by 
ever  {o  many  penal  Laws,  and  an  Inquifition  to 
put  them  in  Execution.  Our  civil  Officers  have 
been  chofcn,  out  of  every  religious  Society,  % 
and  the  publick  Peace  has  been  as  well  preferved, 
and  the  publick  Councils  as  well  conducted, as  we 
could  have  cxpedted^had  we  been  afTiiled  by  ever 
fo  many  religious  TelU. 

All  Pfophanefs,  and  Immorality,  are  punifhed 
by  the  Laws  made  to  fupprefs  them  j  and  while 
thefe  Laws  are  well  executed,  fpeculativc  Opi- 
nions, or  Modes  of  Worfhip,  can  never  dlfturb  or 
injure  the  Peace  of  a  State,  that  allows  all  its 
Subjects  an  equal  Liberty  of  Confcience.  In- 
deed it  is  not  variety  of  Opinions^  or  feperation  if% 


^  It  has  been  no  uncommon  Sight,  ro  fee  Genrle  nen  of  almoll 
every  religicjs  Perfwafion  amon^  u$,  fi[[ing  on  the  lame 
Bench  of  M^gijiratcs  together.  And  we  may  always  expeCi 
to  fee  ir,  while  that  Principle  prevails,  that  the  fureflWay 
to  prcferve  and  enjoy  O'lr  Charter  Priviledgei,  is  fo  to  divide 
the  Pofts  of  Honour,  Truft,  and  Profit  among  ail  F-^irfwa- 
fions  indifferenrly  ;  and  in  general,  to  prefer  ihofe  Gentle- 
men, of  whatever  religious  Opinions  they  are,  that  are  o- 
therwife  bcft  qualified,  to  (erve  the  Publick,  and  adorn  rhcic 
Stations  ;  and  to  fiffer  no  one  religious  Sc^,  to  monopo^. 
Ulc  the  Places  of  Power,  and  Authoriry. 

Q  2  Worjtip^ 


io8  An  Hijlorical  Difccurfe^  $cc. 

IVorJhip^  that  makes  DiforderSy  and  C-nfufions  in 
Goverr.nient  :  It  is  the  unjuft,  unnatural,  and  ab- 
furd  At':empt  to  force  all  to  be  of  one  Opinion, 
or  to  feign  rind  diffemble  that  they  are  ;  or  the 
cruel  and  impious  punifliing  thofe^  who  can'c 
change  their  Opinions  without  Light, or  Reafon  j 
anci  will  not  diffemble  againfl:  all  Reafon,  and 
Confcience.  It  is  the  wicked  Attempt  to  force 
Men  to  vvo'fhip  GOD  in  a  Way^they  believe  He 
hathnei-htrr  conitiianHed^nor  will  accept  •  and  the 
rcilraining  them  from  worfhipping  Him  in  a  Me- 
thod, they  thl;tk  He  has  inflicuted,  and  made 
neccffary  for  them  ^  and  in  which  alonCjthey  can 
be  fiiicere  Woffliippers,  and  accepted  of  GOD; 
in  which  aione,  they  can  find  Comfort,  &'  Peace 
of  Confcience,  and  approve  themfelves  before 
GOD;  in  which  alone, they  can  be  honeft  Men, 
and  good  Chriflians.  Perfecution  will  ever  oc- 
cafion  Lonfufion  6c  Diforder,  or  if  everyTongue 
is  forced  to  confefs,  and  every  Knee  to  bow  to 
the  Power  of  ihe  Sword  :  this  it  felf  is  the  great- 
eft  of  all  Dirorders,and  the  worft  of  Confufions  in 
the  Kingdom  of  Chrill  Jefus. 

Liberty  of  Confcience  was  never  more  fully 
enjoyed  in  any  Place, than  here  ;  and  this  Colofiy^ 
with  fome  fince  fornicd  on  the  fame  Model,  have 
prov*d  that  tlie  terrible  Fears,  th.it  Barbarity 
would  break  in,  where  no  particular  Forms  of 
Woflhip  or  Difcipline  are  ciUblifhed  by  the  Civil 

1^0  wer. 


An  Hifiorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  109 

Power,  are  really  vain  and  groundlefs ;  *  and 
that  Chiiftianity  can  lubfifl  without  a  National 
Church,  or  vifible  Head  ;  and  without  being  in- 
corporated into  the  State.  It  fubfifted  fo  for  the 
firfl:  three  butidred  Years  ;  yea,  in  Oppofition  and 
Defiance  to  all  the  Powers  of  Hell  and  Earth. 
And  'tis  amazing  to  hear  thofe  who  plead  for 
penal  Laws,  and  the  Magiftrates  Right,  &  Duty 
to  govern  the  Church  of  Christ,  to  hear  fuch 
Perfons,  call  the  early  Times,  the  golden  Age  of 
Chriflianity. 

However,  as  the  bed  Things,  the  wifcfl  Inlli- 
tutions  are  fubjedt  to  feme  Inconveniencies,while 
fome  Good  may  accidentally  follow  the  very 
worlt  Things  in  the  World,  it  may  be  worth  our 
while  to  confider,  whether  feme  Inconveniencies 
do  not  naturally,  or  have  not  in  Fad,  followed 
or  attended  our  Conltitution.  The  popifh  Inqui- 
fition  it  felf,  which  is  fuch  an  open  Tyranny  o- 
ver  Confcicnce,  and  fuch  anabfolute  Dellrudioa 
of  the  EfTentials  of  Chriilianity,  and  all  true 
Religion,  yet  keeps  up  the  Face  and  Shew  of  the 
greateft  Decorum,  Order,  and  Harmony  imagi- 
nable. It  ought  not  to  be  wondred  at,  if  an  unli- 


*  I  am  aware,  fome  fuch  Cliarges  of  Ignorance  andBarbarity, 
have  been  formerly  infmuared,  and  that  rhe  People  lived 
in  a  Stare  of  ylnarchy  ;  bur  I  hope,  I  have  f.iid  enou:^h,  ro 
fhew  th-e  f^rountelsnefs  of  fxh  Reports  ;  v\hich  were  the 
pftcds  of  Prejudice,  and  Miiinfor mat/on. 

miced 


no  An  Hijlorical  Difeourfc^  &c. 

mited  Toleration  of  every  Dodrine,  or  Form  of 
Chriftian  Worfhip^  tho'  never  fo  juft  in  it  felf, 
and  fo  ufeful  and  beneficial  in  many  Rcfpedts 
yet  in  fome  other  Refpeds,may  be  attended  with, 
or  productive  of  fome  Inconveniencies.  We 
know  fome  followed  on  thcGofpel  itfeif.  It  can'c 
be  wondred  at,  if  fome  fhould  make  an  ill  Ufe  of 
this  Liberty  ^  yea,  if  this  Liberty  it  felf,  Ihould 
be  unhappily  a  Snare  to  fomeMen.  Have,ncver 
any  in  no  Parts  of  theColony,  appeared  lolt,  and 
bewildred  in  a  variety  of  Opinions  round  them  ? 
At  leaft,  is  it  not  likely,  there  fhould  be  fome 
Perfons  fo  weak  and  unliable  ?  Have  never  any 
pretended,  to  think  it  needlefs,  or  cndlcfs,  to 
fearch  after  Truth,  among  fo  manyPretendcrs  to 
it  ?  And  have  not  fome,  in  the  Heat  and  Hurry 
of  Difpute  about  the  Circumftaniials  of  Chriftia- 
nity,  the  Circumftancts  of  Ordcr,Time,  &  Place, 
grown  cold  or  negIigenr,about  theVitals  &  Eflen- 
tiaisof  theGofpelCovenant  ?  Hath  not  too  much 
Zeal  about  outward  Things^  too  often  occafioncd 
Cenforioufnefs,  and  Uncharitablencfs,and  ftarved 
the  Life  of  Pveligion  ">  Is  there  no  Foundation 
for  thatCharader  that  has  been  given  of  too  many 
among  us,that  "  they  have  a  thoroughlndifFcrence 
''  for  ail  that  is  facred,  being  equally  carelefs  of 
*'  outward  VVoifliip,  and  of  inward  Principles, 
"  whether  of  Faith  nr  Fradice.'*  And  ''  that 
*^  they  have  worn  off  a  ferious  Stn^t  of  all  Re- 
*^  ligion."     Ic  would  be  no  wonder  if  fome  oral/ 

thcfc 


An  HiftGfical  Difcourfe^  &c,  iix 

thefe  evil  Confequences,  (hould  have  foIlowcd,in 
fome  Degree  j  they  have  oAen  done  fo  in  other 
Places,  even  where  there  \\as  not  the  like  fair 
Occafion.  The  Tempter  always  fuits  hisTempta- 
tions,  to  the  Circumftances  of  tbofe  he  afTauIts. 
But  thefe  Things  will  be  no  goodObjedion  againft 
Liberty  of  Confcience,  becaufe  infinitely  greater 
Evils,  neceffariiy  follow  on  Perfccution  foiConf- 
cience  fake. 

Neverthelefs  our  own  Experience,  on  the  Ob- 
fervations,  and  Reproaches  of  others,  will  dif* 
pc'fe  us  to  be  peculiarly  careful,  againft  all  thefe 
Evils,  and  fome  others,  that  ourConllitution|nay 
be  peculiarly  liable  and  expofed  to.  Here  in  a 
particular  Manner,    let  us  be  exhorted, 

1.  To  prevent  our  religiotisDifferences^  from  Ve^ 

ingcver  carried  into  our  civil  Affairs Let  them 

never  make  Fadions  in  Government.— 

2.  Let  us  ^M^Y  for  Peace ^  and  toprcmote  mutual 
Love  among  Chrijlians  of  every  Denomiriation  We 
fhould  love  all  of  C  h  r  i  s  t,  we  fee  in  them,  and 
as  far  as  pofTible  fpeak  the  fame  Things.  On  the 
one  Hand,  we  (hould  take  heed  that  Charity  and 
mutual  Forbearance  don't  fink  into  Lukewarmnefs 
and  Indifference  to  the  Truth  of  the  divine  Infti- 
tucions  ',  and  on  the  other  Hand,  we  fhould  main- 
tain our  own  Opinions,  and  manage  the  Defence 
of  them,  v.hen  Need  requires  it,  with  a  Chriilian 

Spirit 


112  An  Hiflorical  Difccurfe^  Sic, 

Spirit  of  Candour,  and  Moderation.  Efpeciallyj 
let  us  be  warned  by  our  own  Hifloryjtotakc  heed 
of  imputing  to  others,  the  Confequences  we  think 
follow  from  their  Opinions  ^  if  on  the  Account 
of  the  Confequences,  we  can't  embrace  iheir  O*. 
pinions,  yet  Jet  us  remember,  every  Man's  Opi- 
nion mud  be  taken  from  his  own  Underllanding, 
andjudgment,  and  not  from  the  Undcritanding^ 
and  Judgment  of  other  Men. 

tt  is  no  Pleafure  to  any  real  Chrillian,  to  fee 
his  Brethren,  the  Difciples  of  Jesus  Christ, 
fo  divided  as  they  are  thro'  the  World,  in  their 
Opinions  of  various  Articles,  of  his  Religion  ;  and 
much  lefs, to  fee  them  fo  divided  in  their  AfFed ions. 
Indeed,  confidering  the  finite  Capacity,  and  the 
Corruption  of  humane  Nature, we  ought -to  expedb 
a  variety  of  Opinions  in  Religion,  as  well  aS  in 
everyThing  elfe.  But  as  theEnemies  to  theCrols 
of  Chrift,  make  this,  tho'  unjuflly,  a  Reproach  to 
Chridianity  ;  and  as  many  weak  Pcrfons, are  car- 
ried away  with  the  Errors  of  the  Wicked,  every 
fincerc  Chrillian  can't  help  wifhing,  that  every 
tumbling  Block,  and  Rock  of  Offence,  was  re- 
moved out  of  the  Way,  and  that  all  Chrirtians 
walked  in  the  Truth,  with  one  Confent  of  Heart 
and  Voice.  It  is  a  Grief  to  a  Chriltian,  as  'cis  a 
Scandal  to  the  whole  World,  to  fee  Chriflians, 
Cfo  called)  full  of  Envy,  and  Malice, hating,  and 
teviliog  one  aaolher^  and  fmiting  with  the  Fift  of 

W'ickcdncfs* 


An  Hijlorical  Bifcourfe^  &c.  113 

Wlckednefs.  This,  when  all  is  faid  andc'rnCj  is 
a  more  fuJ)  and  jult  Argument,  that  fuch  have  no 
Part  in  Chiift,  than  any  fuppofed  orthodoxy 
of  Opinion,  can  be  of  their  Intereil  ia 
Him.  For  by  this  (fays  he)  JJjall  all  Men  ktiow 
that  ye  are  my  Difaples,  if  ye  have  Love  crie  to  arnj'^ 
ther.  Ic  is  a  glorious  Sight,  to  fee  the  Difcipies 
of  J  E  s  u  s,  live  in  Love  &  Peace,  and  "  fwettly 
bear  with  one  another  in  their  lefler  Differences  */ 
To  fee  every  one,  keeping  the  Ordinances,  as  he 
thiiiks  Christ  has  commanded  him,  and  at  the 
fame  Time,  carefully  abllaining  from  all  Evil,and 
theAppearances  of  Evil  j  and  pradliGng  whatfo- 
ever  Things  are  true,  honeft,  juf^,  and  pure  ; 
whatfoeverThings  are  lovely, and  of  goodReporc. 

When  we  haveFreedom  tofearch  theScripture, 
and  Liberty  to  believe,  and  profefs  what  we  find 
there  revealed,  how  unhappy  would  it  be,  if  any 
fhould  negledt  their  Priviledge,  and  be  Fools  and 
flow  of  Heart  to  improve  the  Opportunity  they 
enjoy  ?  How  unhappy  would  it  be, if  any  fhould 
negledt  the  Worfhip  cfGOD,  and  thelnftitu^ions 
ofCuRisTjEsu  s,becaure  they  are  not  ern'orced 
by  humane  penal  Laws  ?  Let  us  be  all  able  ever 
to  give  an  Anfwer  to  every  one,  that  asks  us  a 
Reafon  of  the  Hope  tbst  is  in  us,  with  Meeknefs, 
and  Fear  ^  and  let  us  lay  afideall  VVraih, Anger, 
Malice,  Bigotry,  and  Cenforioufnefs  ;  and  cn- 
deavouf  to  pay  a  univerfal  and  conilant  Regard 

R  to 


114  -^^  Hiftorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

to  the  Will  of  GOD,  revealed  in  his  Word. 
Let  us  be  united  to  Chrifl  Jefus  by  a  true  &  living 
Faith  i  and  let  everyMan  take  heed  how  he  build- 
cih  :  Other  Foundation  can  no  Man  lay^  than  that 
which  is  laid^  viz,  the  Prophets  &  Apoftles,  Jefus 
Cbrift  hnnfelf  being  the  grsat  corner  Stone.  Nc^w  if  any 
Man  build  on  tbts  Foundation^  Gold^  Silver^  precious 
Stones^  IVood^  Hay^  Stubble ;  every  ManslVorkJhali 
he  made  manifeft.  For  the  Day  fhall  declare  it^  be' 
caufe  it  Jhall  be  revealed  by  Ftrc  •  and  the  Fire  Jhall 
try  every  Man^s  IVork^  of  what  fort  it  is.  If  any 
Mans  WorkfJoall  be  burnt  ^hejh  all  fufferLofs  j  but  he 
him/elf  Jhall  be  faved  '^  yet  fa  ^  as  by  Fire, 

3.  Above  all  Things,  let  us  unite  in  the pra^ice 
of  Piety  and  H  linefs.  Let  us  do  juftly,  and  love 
Mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  GOD  j  let  us  deny 
all  Ungodlinefs,  and  every  worldly  Luft,  &  live 
fobcrly,  righteoufly,  and  godly,  and  perfed  Ho- 
lincfs  in  the  fear  of  GOD.  ThefeThings  we  may 
do  without  anyOffence  toanyParty  of  Chriftians. 
If  we  be  followers  of  that  which  is  Good,  who  are 
they  that  will  harm  us,or  be  offended  at  us  on  that 
Account.  Each  Party  requires  all  Men,  to  be  re- 
deemed from  a  vain  Converfation  ;  every  Party 
owns  theNecefIiry,if  theydifferin  iheNature  of  the 
Obligation  of  thefe  Duties  :  Let  us  ihen  unite  in 
the  Piadlice  of  thcm^and  have  our  Converfation, 
as  becometh  ihcGofpel,  which  we  in  common  pio- 

fefs.     How  unhappy,  how  inexcufable,  would  it 

be. 


An  Hlfiorical  Difcourfe^  &c.  115 

be, if  Liberty  of  Confcience  fhould  degenerate  into 
Licencioufnefsjand  open  aDoor  for  a  Flood  of  Im- 
moralities ?  If  while  we  plead  a  Right  to  think, 
and  judge  for  our  felves,  and  rtjed  all  meer  hu- 
man Authority,  in  Matters  of  Faith  £c  Worfbip  ; 
we  fhould  ncgled  the  facred  Laws  ot  GOD,  and 
the  unalterable,  and  eternal  Duties  of  Morality  ? 
It  is  certainly  a  Reproach  to  ChriftianSjthat  they 
can  be  fo  zealoufly  afFedted,  about  the  Things, 
which  are  pecuhar  &  diftinguifhing  to  each  Sec^ 
refpedively,  and  yet  be  focold,  and  negligent  of 
thofe, wherein  they  all  agree.  It  is  reafonable  to 
fuppofe  thafeDodtrinesSc  Duties,  which  all  agree 
in,  are  the  moil  important,  and  efTential.  Let  us 
then  be  truly  concerned  to  glorifyj^ferve  GOD, 
by  a  true  &  fpiritual  Worfhip,  and  the  Vertuesof 
a  goodLifc  ;  and  to  imitate  theExamplejwhich  the 
great  Author  and  fiaifher  of  our  Faith  hath  fet  us. 
Let  us  hold  fail  the  Form  of  found  Words  we 
have  received,  and  not  make  Shipwrack  of  Faith, 
and  a  good  Confcience. 

IV.  I  hopel  fhall  be  excufedjifonthisOccafion, 
I  exhort  the  Me77ihers  of  this  Church  in  particular^ 
to  review  tie  merciful  Prcvidefices  of  GOD^  'which 
have  hitherto  preferved  this  Vitie^  which  we  trufl, 
bis  own  Right  Hand  hath  planted.  We  may  fing 
of  Judgment  and  of  Mercy;  in  many  fore  LcfTes 
and  Bereavements ;  in  fome  uncomfortable  Con- 
tentionsi  and   in  a  total  failure    of  Eiders,   for 

R  2  many 


ii6  j^i  Hifiorkal  Difcourfe^  &c. 

fuany  Years  together.  Nevcrthelers,ihe  burning 
Ba(h  has  not  been  confumed  ,  iheChmch  has  lliil 
fubfjited,  and  been  refectled  again  in  Peace  and 
Comfort.  Various  are  the  Storms  in  which  this 
Chu'ch  has  been  icfHci  j  but  thro"  ihtmalI,GOD 
has  prefcrved  us.  May  we,  and  our  SuccefTors, 
be  as  a  Name,  and  a  Praife  to  Hini,  ihroughouc 
all  Generations  1  Let  us  pray  the  Father  of 
Lighfs,  and  the  Lord  of  the  Harvefl,  to  revive 
and  profprr  his  Work  in  the  midit  of  ihefe  Yeais. 
May  He  unite  our  Hearts  roLove  Him  morejand 
Serve  Him  better^  and  to  Love  one  another,  and 
flrive  together  to  promote  his  Glory,  and  our  mu- 
tual Edification,  and  Growth  in  Grace.  May  he 
tba(  mtniftretb  Seed  to  the  Sower^  both  minifierBread 
for  your  Food^  and  multiply  the  Seed  [own ^  and  ifi' 
creafe  the  Fruits  of  your  Kightejufnefs. 

As  this  was  the  firrt:  Society,  fettled  in  Church 
order  on  this  Ifland,  as  'tis  the  eldeft,  (tho'  nearly 
the  ]eafx^  let  us  llrive  to  go  before  all  others,  in 
the  priniicive  Simplicity,  Love,  Integrity,  and 
publick  Spificedneis. 

Let  us  confiider,  whether  we  make  good  the 
Ground  of  thofe  pious  &  excellent  ChriAians,who 
firft  formed  this  Church  ;  &  whether  theSuccefTors 
of  Men,  lb  holy,  and  fo  zealous, are  not  obliged  in 
a  fingular  Manner,  to  imitate  them,  wherein  they 
followed  Christ.  We  have  prof^ffed  a  Sub- 
jection to  the  Goipel  oi  C  h  R  i  s  t  ^  let  our  Lights 

Ihiiie 


An  Hlprical  Dtfcourfe^  &c  117 

fliine  before  Men  ;  let  us  ddorn  the  Doctrine  of 
God  our  Saviour  in  allThir^gs  j  and  let  us  hold 
the  Be^innifis  of  our  Cojifiderice,  lledfafl  to  the 
End  j  ?ind  lee  us  coniider  one  a  not  her, to  provoke 
unto  Love,  and  to  good  Works  :  In  firre,  let  us 
contend  earnellly  for  the  Faith,  and  Order  of  the 
Gofpel,  once  delivered  to  the  Saints  ;  and  at  the 
lame  Time,  maintain  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
theBonds  of  Peace.  Kim  that  is  weak  in  theFaith 
receive,  but  not  to  doubtlul  Difputations.  And 
the  GOD  of  Patience  &  Confolation  grant  us  to 
be  like  minded  one  towards  another,  according 
toCtjRisT   Jesus. 

V.   Is  it  not  proper  to  remark^    the  very  great 

Alteration  which  the  merciful  Pr(^vidence  of  GOD  has 
made^  in  the  outwardCtrciimftances^andAccommoda' 
tions  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Ijland  and  Colony ^fince 
their  firft  Settlement  here. 

We  have  reafon  to  think,  the  very  firft  Setlers^ 
did  not  come  here  empty  handed  -^  *  but  as  their  Stock, 
on  which  they  lived,  was  by  Degrees  confumed^ 
the  produce  of  wild  Lands  was  able  to  go  but  a 
little  way,  in  purchafing  a  new  Supply  of  many 
Comforts  of  Life^  and  they  v/ere  obliged  to  make 
an  hardShif:  with  fuchThingSj^s  the  prefentGene- 
ration  perhaps  may  too  much  defpife.  1  don't  wel 
know,  how  to  defcribe  theDiffc  rence  in  fomeAt ti- 
des, in  fuitable  ScgraveExpfeflions :  the  mention 

{   Vid.Mr.C7//<j»*sWay  of  CcngregarionaiChurchesckared.?6r. 

of 


ii8  An  Hijlorical  Difcourfe^  &c. 

of  fome  Inftanccs,  would  perhaps  furprize  many. 
Let  us  then  be  thankful  toGOD^who  has  bleffed 
the  Labours  of  our  Hands  ,  and  let  us  not  wax 
Fat  and  kick  againfl  GOD,  now  wc  have  eaten, 
and  arc  full  of  the  Mercies  of  the  Lord. 

Nay,  would  it  be  unufefuljOr  improper, to  think 
of  the  outward  Accommodations  which  the  pre- 
fent  EnghJJj  Inbahitants  enjoy ^  above  the  Aboriginal 
Natives^  and  their  miferable  Remainders  among  us  ? 
DoubtlefSjit  would  excite  our  Gratitude  to  GOD, 
who  has  made  us  to  differ,  and  to  fay  with  David^ 
Bkjfed  he  tbou^LOKD  God  of  Ifrael^  curFatber^for 
ever  and  ever,  ^blne^  O  LOKD^  is  tbe  Greatnefs^ 
and  the  Fewer ^  ^  tbe  Vt^fcry^  ^  tbe  Majefty^  for  all 
that  is  in  theHeaven^or  in  the  Earth  ^is  thine,  ^bins 
is  the  Kingdom^  O  LOKD,  and  tb  u  art  exalted  as 
Head  above  all.  BothRtchcs^^ Honour  comeofthee^ 
and  thou  reigtieft  over  all-,  S  in  tbmeHand  is  Power  ^ 
and  Mighty  and  in  thiricHand  :t  is  to  inakeGreat^and 
to  give  Strength  unto  alt.  Now  therefore  our  GOD^ 
we  thank  tbee^  and  praife  thy  glorious  Name  I 

VI.  Laflly.  As  the  piousPeople,whofirft  plant- 
ed this  IJland  and  Colony^  were  To  concerned,  about 
tbe  heft  way  of  evidencing  a  Man^s  good  EJiate^mC' 
thinks,  there  is  no  more  proper  Remark^  for  us  to 
fioifh  with,  than  the  Dniy^thelVifdom^  and  theNe- 
Cfjfity  of  every  cne^  to  get  into  a  good  Eft  ate  as  to 
GOD,  an  I  the  future  IVorid  ;  and  to  feek  after  fuffi- 
cient  andfatisfuwfory  Evidence  there' f 


An  Hi fl  or  teal  Difcourfe^  &c.  119 

I  mean  not  to  revive  the  old  Difpute  ,  I  am  well 
facisfied,  the  Difference  may  be  compromifedjWith 
great  Eafe  &  Juftice  j  but  to  perfwade  each  of  us 
to  think  of  this  Artic]e5withreriourners5&  fuitable 
Concern.  What  will  it  fignify,  which  of  thofe 
Ways  is  the  moft  fatisfadory/if  we  our  felves  have 
no  Grounds  for  Satisfadlion,  in  either  of  them  ? 
And  what  can  excufe  us  negledling  to  work  out 
our  Salvation,  and  make  our  Calling  &  Eledion 
fure,  when  GOD  is  working  in  us  to  will,  and  to 
do,  of  his  good  PJeafure  ?  Alas  !  how  very  com* 
mon  is  it  for  Perfons,  who  live  under  the  Gofpel, 
to  be  very  carelefsSc  unconcerned  in  thisMatter^* 
for  many  who  call  themfelves  Chriftians,  to  prc- 
fume  they  are  fomething,  when  indeed  they  are 
nothing  ?  and  cry  Peace,  Peace  to  themfelveSjWhen 
they  are  in  the  Gall  of  Bitternefs,  and  the  Bonds 
of  Iniquity  ^  and  have  no  Lot  or  Part  in  the 
ChrilUan  Salvation  ? 

A  Man's  good  Eflate  confiUs  in  his  being  recon- 
ciled to  God  through  Je/usChriJl ^who  was  delivered 
iorourOffences,&  raifed  again  for  ourjuftification. 
Let  us  aim  to  have  both  the  ^ejlimony  of  cur  own 
Confciences^  and  the  Spirit  rf  God  witnejjing  together 
with  our  Spirh^  that  we  are  the  Children  of  GOD, 
and  Heirs  with  Christ,  to  the  Inheritance  of 
the  Saints  in  Light.  And  may  He  that  is  able, 
keep  us  from  failing,  and  prefect  us  faultlefsjbe- 
foie  his  Prefeiice  with  exceeding  Joy. 


120  An  Hiftorical  Di/courfe^  &G. 

^0  Conclude^  Should  not  this  Solemnity  put  us  in 
Mind  of  our  mortal  tranfitory  Conditi'.tj^  and  To  llir 
us  up  the  more,  to  give  Diligence  to  make  our 
Calling  and  Eiedion  fure.  The  Generations  of 
Men  ate  pafBng  away  continually.  Not  one  Per^ 
/jiythat  we  know  of,  is  now  alive,  of  ail  tbo/e'who 
began  this  Settlement  •  and  but  few  remain  of  the 
fecond  Generation.  Death  is  daily  preying  upon 
us.  Should  v.e  not  then  be  the  more  quickned 
in  the  fecuring  our  eternal  VV^elfare  ?  Should  we 
not  do  with  our  Mighr,  what  our  Hands  find  to 
do,  before  the  Night  of  Death  overtakes  us  ? 

Let  us  remember  we  are  Strangers  and  Pilgrims 
here^  as  'UJsre  all  our  Fathers  •  and  let  us  feek  after 
a  City  which  is  to  come,  which  hath  Foundations, 
whole  Builder  &  Msker  is  GOD.  And  let  us  be 
followers  of  thofe,  who  throughFaiih  &  Patience, 
inherit  the  Promifes. 

Let  this  Occafion,  an  Occafiojj  we  can  never  ex^ 
pe5f  again^  excite  us  to  number  our  Days  aright; 
lo  as  to  apply  our  Hearts  to  true  VVifdom.  May 
we  fo  prepare  for  Death  and  Judgment,  and  the 
eternal  World,  as  that  an  Entrance  may  be  at  lall 
adminiffred  to  us  into  the  EverlaftingKingdcm  of 
our  Lord  &  Saviour  Jesus  Christ:  Which 
COD  of  His  itifi?iite  Mercy  grant  thru  Him  :  ^o 
i^hum  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,^^?^^ 
H.mur^  Glury  S  Power ^  both  now  &  ever,  AMEN, 

FINIS. 


^-  Advertifement. 

THe  Reader  is  dcfircd  to  Ex'cafe  &  CorrtB  tf  e  zvrongVunBu- 
ation  in  feveral  Piacei,  and  the   following  Errata^   mcft 
of  whigh  inj'Jre  the  Senfe  ;  and  ro  infcrt  a  (evv  Amendments. 
Title  Pag€,  read  the  fi'^ft  Century. 

Dedication  p  4  1.  5.  r.  Oppoliticn,  1.  i^.    r.  and  his.    p.  6. 
I.  6.  f^focmed,  r.  Iccared. 

Sermon  p  1. 1.2. in  theNote  f.  Misntonimpk  r.  Miantonimo^. 
p.  II.  1.' 18.' after  and  which,  inJert  affrf.  p.  12. 1.  Ii.  after 
Charter,  infcrt,  which  included  Liberiy  of  Confcicnce.  p.  19. 
»1.  22.  rEafl^  r.  laft.  In  che  No;e  1.  i.  f  Nantigganfick  r.  Nan- 
hjganfick.,  p.  22.  K^-J  r.  exprefs  in  their  07. n  Way.  p.  2S.  1.:. 
r  0^^%.  jr:'3o.'l.  7';^  dele  the  fouth-eafterlyParc  of.  Note.I.4. 
dele  fifft,.--^.  52..  I.  12.  r.  Wampanoags.  p.  34.  Note  1.  8.  r. 
become.  -  pc  41.  1.  20.  r.  Forms,  p.  45. 1.  10.  f.  Aflociates  r. 
Affiftants.  p  45.  1.  17.  f.  to  r.  ar.  p.  53.  1.  2.  r.  Judgment. 
^.p.  55  Note  1.  9.  r.  Williams,  p.  60  1.  i".  r.  Argument.s.  p. 
62.  1.  2.  f;  this  r.  the.  1.4  f  their  r.rhefe.  p  6^.  1.  25.  r  J.  &  J. 
Maxon.  p  65. 1.  19.  r.  1700.  p.  70. 1.  7.  r.  Sachem,  l.p.  r.Nan- 
Jiyganiicks  p.  72  1.  i6.  after  Terror,  infcrt,  and  fo.  p.  73. 1. 1. 
r.  VVart*|)anoag8.  p.  76.  1.  12.  r.  19th  December.  p.-S.l.i.for 
in,  r.  on.  1.  2.  from  the  bottom, f  in,  r.trorii.  p.  79.  Notes  ).  7. 
for  A.vafhonks  r.  Weetamore.  p.  83.  1.  li.  f.  Societies,  r. 
^,  Seftaries.  p  86.1  laft  but  one,  r.  Nicommors  P91.I.21.  r.  a 
ft w  who.  1.  22.  r.  remam  p.92.  I.19,  forBofton,  r.Charleftown. 
iy  P-  94-J-  23  in  the  Nores,  for  part  of  thofe  of  them  who,  r, 
Prop^tion.  1.  27.  r.  Recovery,  p.  100. 1.  23.  r.  Wampanoags.^ 
p.  109, 1,  4  in  the  Note  r.  Groundleisnefs  1.  10.  f.  the  r.  thofe 
p.  III.  1.  10.  f.  on  r.  or.  p.  112.  1.  5.  f.  the  r,  thofe. 


oS^K^oCDa&^)eDOcsc3QsOe'^SSS5¥«i 


m 


.I'i" 


